Patriots’ Offensive Line Took a Step Forward - But the Playoffs Showed There’s Still Work to Be Done
The New England Patriots made a bold move heading into the 2025 season: a near-complete overhaul of their offensive line. With four new starters, including two rookies anchoring the left side and a pair of veteran additions, the team clearly prioritized protecting rookie quarterback Drake Maye. And for much of the regular season, it looked like that investment was starting to pay off.
But when the lights got brighter in the postseason, the cracks started to show.
Over the course of four playoff games - capped off by a Super Bowl appearance - the Patriots’ offensive line gave up a staggering 21 sacks. That’s 5.3 sacks per game. To put that in perspective, if that pace had held over a full regular season, Maye would’ve been the most sacked quarterback in the league by a wide margin.
Now, it’s important to note that this wasn’t the story all year. During the regular season, the Patriots’ line allowed 47 sacks total - a 2.8 per-game average.
Not elite, but manageable. And certainly a far cry from the punishment Maye endured in the postseason.
He was sacked five or more times in each of the team’s final four games - a stretch that matched his total number of such games during the entire regular season.
So, what changed? And more importantly, what comes next?
A Familiar Blueprint: Look to Kansas City
If this situation feels familiar, it should. The Chiefs faced a nearly identical reckoning after the 2020 season.
That year, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense were humming - 29.6 points per game, just 1.5 sacks allowed per contest. But the Super Bowl told a different story.
Mahomes was sacked three times and pressured 30 times. The offensive line simply couldn't hold up.
That game triggered a total reset. Kansas City replaced all five starters.
They traded for Orlando Brown, promoted Lucas Niang, signed Joe Thuney to an $80 million deal, and drafted Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. The result?
A younger, more athletic, and more cohesive unit that helped Mahomes get back to the Super Bowl - and win it.
The Patriots don’t necessarily need to go that far, but there are lessons to take from that blueprint.
What’s Working - and What Isn’t
There are pieces worth keeping in New England. Will Campbell, despite a rough outing in the Super Bowl, is expected to remain the starting left tackle.
Mike Vrabel has made that clear. On the right side, Mike Onwenu is locked in at guard, providing some much-needed consistency.
Morgan Moses, the veteran right tackle, is another likely holdover - at least until he decides to hang it up. But beyond those three, things get murky.
Center Garrett Bradbury could be a cap casualty. Cutting him would free up nearly $7 million, and that flexibility could allow offensive line coach Doug Marrone to shuffle the deck.
One option: move Jared Wilson - who played guard in 2025 - back to center, his natural position in college. Another?
Go after a proven center like Tyler Linderbaum in free agency.
Draft Options and Potential Shakeups
If the Patriots decide to address the line early in the draft, there are intriguing possibilities. Caleb Lomu (Utah) and Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) are both natural tackles, but either could potentially slide inside to guard - a move that’s not uncommon for college tackles transitioning to the NFL.
If New England opts to stay traditional and target interior linemen, players like Vega Ioane or Emmanuel Pregnon could be in play at pick No. 31. Both bring physicality and upside, and either would immediately compete for a starting role.
The most aggressive - and potentially most rewarding - scenario? Sign Linderbaum and draft a versatile lineman like Lomu.
That would give the Patriots a 2026 starting line with Campbell and Moses at tackle, Linderbaum at center, and a left guard competition between Lomu and Wilson. If Wilson wins that battle, Lomu could be groomed to take over for Moses in 2027.
Yes, it would take significant investment. But if the Patriots want to protect their young franchise quarterback and stay competitive deep into January - and beyond - it’s the kind of move that could pay off in a big way.
Final Thought
The Patriots took a big swing in 2025 to fix their offensive line. And to their credit, it worked - to a point.
But the postseason exposed the gap between “improved” and “elite.” If New England wants to make another run - and give Drake Maye the best chance to thrive - they’ll need to double down this offseason.
Because in today’s NFL, protecting your quarterback isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.