The legal tampering period of NFL free agency begins Monday at noon ET, and we should expect New England Patriots free agent offensive lineman Mike Onwenu to be a coveted player.
Onwenu is not only a tremendous player based on his on-field performance over the last four years, he's also a very versatile player with his ability to excel at both tackle and guard.
Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal reported Monday that the Washington Commanders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens are among the teams believed to be interested in Onwenu.
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The market for guards improved Monday when it was reported that Philadelphia Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson agreed to a four-year, $87 million extension. He is now the highest-paid guard of all time.
Onwenu could be worth as much as $14-15 million per year in his next contract, per Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus.
The Patriots selected Onwenu in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. If he doesn't re-sign with the Patriots, they will have a severe lack of talent and depth at the offensive tackle position, especially if free agent tackle Trent Brown also departs in free agency.
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New England could bolster their depth at this position by selecting a tackle in next month's draft, but the front office should bring in a couple veterans, too. You never have enough good depth at the tackle spot.
If the Patriots draft a quarterback in the early rounds, it's very important that he begins his pro career behind a competent offensive line. The Patriots found out the hard way last season how a subpar offensive line can ruin a QB's performance and development.