Patriots rumors: 3 free agent O-line targets of quality and depth

New England Patriots free agent targets: Rick Wagner

Again, New England should be looking for another solid offensive tackle since, after Trent Brown and the oft-injured Isaiah Wynn, the cupboard is almost bare.

Of course, Michael Onwenu has demonstrated that he can man the right tackle spot with aplomb so that may not be a high priority for New England. Nevertheless, one former Packer who still may fit the bill is Rick Wagner. Wagner is described this way by Pro Football Focus:

"Among all tackles on the year, Wagner sat above the 75th percentile in both true pass set grade and negatively graded run-block rate — two of the most stable metrics for the position. This move makes a lot of sense if Wagner decides to not hang up his cleats."

Wagner will be 32 in October and likely won’t break the bank yet would give New England another solid backup. He may be worth a decent investment to provide additional depth at a position at which New England is clearly top-heavy.

While Wagner is no superstar, he’s clearly better than any back-up tackle the Patriots can now field (Onwenu excepted). Signing a proven veteran tackle like Wagner could pay dividends when one of the starters is injured. Better to be prepared than scrambling around for a replacement.

That strategy seldom works.