Patriots bringing in free-agent offensive linemen with unit ‘still under construction’

The Patriots’ offensive line is still an unfinished puzzle after the team’s preseason opener win over the Panthers.

The Patriots started Vederian Lowe at left tackle, Sidy Sow at left guard, David Andrews at center, Mike Onwenu at right guard and Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackler in Thursday night’s 17-3 win. That might not hold.

“I mean, they’re still under construction, the offensive line,” head coach Jerod Mayo said Friday morning. “And I’ve said it since day one, we’re going to play the best five, whatever that combination looks like. We’re always trying to get better.”

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Mayo said the Patriots are hosting offensive linemen on workouts Friday. Mayo said the team had planned ahead to host offensive line workouts, and they have “nothing to do with what happened last night.

“We’re always trying to get better and improve the front,” Mayo said. “It all starts there with the offensive line and defensive line when it comes to winning football games. So, definitely an important part. …

“We’re always bringing people in. And Eliot and his staff are always trying to make the team better.”

Mayo had said since the start of training camp that he hoped to have the offensive line settled heading into the Patriots’ third preseason game. That’s fast approaching.

The Patriots will practice Sunday and Monday before holding a joint session with the Eagles on Tuesday ahead of their preseason matchup Thursday. The Patriots’ final preseason game is just over two weeks away on the road Aug. 25 against the Commanders.

“Hopefully when we get out of this Eagles week, we’ll have a better idea of what that five looks like,” Mayo said.

One lineman who is not part of the Patriots’ plans this season is 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Andrews. The interior offensive lineman was placed on injured reserve last week.

“I’m not going to get too far into injuries and when he got hurt and all those things, but after consulting with the medical staff, both internally, and Jake going to get a second opinion, it was just the right thing for him to do is to get surgery,” Mayo said. “And we had to place him on IR there.”

Behind Lowe and Okorafor, the Patriots have rookie Caedan Wallace, Calvin Anderson, Kellen Diesch and undrafted rookie Zuri Henry at tackle. Layden Robinson and Nick Leverett are the Patriots’ top reserve guard and center, respectively, followed by Michael Jordan Atonio Mafi, Liam Fornadel and undrafted rookie Charles Turner III.

The Patriots still have the option to move Onwenu back to tackle if they feel better about their depth at guard. Cole Strange, who has started at left guard when healthy since being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, is on the physically unable to perform list and could shake up the offensive line when healthy.

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