Fourth overall pick Will Campbell got extensive work at left tackle during spring workouts.
Fourth overall pick Will Campbell got extensive work at left tackle during spring workouts.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
With training camp set to start at the end of the month, we’ll provide a position-by-position breakdown of where the Patriots stand. Today, we wrap up the offense with the line.
Earlier:Quarterbacks |wide receiver |running backs | tight ends
Roll call: LT Will Campbell, G/C Cole Strange, C Garrett Bradbury, RG Mike Onwenu, RT Morgan Moses, T Vederian Lowe, G/C Ben Brown, T Caedan Wallace, G Layden Robinson, G Tyrese Robinson, G Mekhi Butler, T Demontrey Jacobs, G Sidy Sow, G/C Jared Wilson, T Marcus Bryant, G Jack Conley.
By the numbers:
6: Doug Marrone, who was hired this past offseason, became the sixth offensive line coach the Patriots have had since Dante Scarnecchia retired a second time following the 2019 season.
12: Number of offensive linemen who started at least one game for the Patriots in 2024. (The 2022 Rams used 14 starting offensive linemen, the most of any team since 1999.) That included four left tackles.
52: Sacks yielded by the Patriots in 2024. Only four teams (Bears, Browns, Texans, and Seahawks) allowed more.
1,021: Offensive snaps played by Onwenu in 2024, the most on the team.
The skinny: Whether it was the dogmatic style of last year’s position coach, health, ineffective play, or a combination, New England’s offensive line was among the worst in the league last season. Quarterback Drake Maye had precious little time in the pocket, and the ground game couldn’t get out of neutral. It added up to another miserable year up front and played a major role in the Patriots’ offensive ineffectiveness.
As a result, the Patriots made moves in the offseason. They signed Moses, and after clumsily showing veteran center David Andrews the door, they added Bradbury, formerly of the Vikings. In addition, they drafted Campbell fourth overall, despite a debate regarding his arm length.
During spring workouts, Campbell continued to get extensive work at left tackle, while Bradbury moved into Andrews’s old spot. The strength of the line is on the right side, with Onwenu and Moses. (That’s assuming the 34-year-old Moses can hold up over a full season.) However, left guard remains a major question mark, with several candidates, including Strange, Sow, Robinson, and Wilson. While Strange likely has the inside track, expect that positional battle to play out over the summer.
In the end, the goals remain relatively modest: Improve at the most basic and fundamental levels with a sustainable protection plan for Maye. Work to consistently clear space for the running backs. And start to develop a sense of stability, on the field and with the coaching staff. If they can check those boxes, it’ll represent the first step in a long road back to respectability for New England’s offensive line.
How does this position rate against the rest of the league? Given the offseason investments, the ceiling is considerably higher than it was last year. But at this stage, the group is probably in the bottom third of the league.
**Quote of note:**“We’re building an identity. We’ve got a lot of new players, a lot of young players who are going to be out there playing this year, so just getting them comfortable with the schemes and terminology so we can go out there and play fast.”
— Moses, speaking in the spring about the offensive line.
Biggest story lines: Will Campbell’s arm length at left tackle be an issue in the NFL? Can Moses hold down the right side? Is Strange ready to play all 17 games at left guard? Will Bradbury be a suitable replacement for Andrews at center?
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him @cpriceglobe.