New England Patriots: 3 unmet offseason needs cost team vs. Miami

New England Patriots need quality offensive tackle depth

The New England Patriots needed to go big in the draft for offensive tackle depth. They didn’t and it has already bitten them against Miami.

Both of the starters have had injury issues. Isaiah Wynn is a constant injury worry (and now a holding worry, as well). And fan-favorite Trent Brown has also had injury issues from time to time.

Unfortunately in the first quarter of game one, Brown went out with a calf injury. These can be tricky for any player, but for a 380 pound one, it’s not good at all.

New England neglected to augment the position in the draft or free agency. It was a big mistake. They instead relied on Justin Herron as the primary backup tackle.

He’s neither an NFL starting quality player nor a quality back up as he was evidently benched or otherwise sat down against Miami after replacing Brown. Not a good sign.

Replacing him was another waiver-wire type tackle acquired in a late offseason trade with Kansas City. For the Chiefs to basically give him to the Patriots says something, and it’s not positive.

Yasir Durant came over for a seventh-round pick. He played against Miami yesterday. Now, Durant may turn out fine, but that’s not the quality depth the team needed.

Yodny Cajuste is still around. He was a third-round pick in 2019. Could he be that guy? Maybe, but he didn’t dress yesterday so likely not.

He has not played in a single game for New England as he begins his third season. They still need a solid tackle and a trade before the deadline is the way to go.

Bill Belichick also missed the most obvious move against Miami which would have been to move Michael Onwenu immediately to right tackle and throw Ted Karras into the left guard position.

That non-move could have helped cost them the game and made no sense whatsoever in the context of the Brown injury. The need for solid offensive tackle depth remains.