One of the top priorities for the New England Patriots entering the offseason was upgrading their offensive line. So far, they’ve addressed their need in the interior by agreeing to terms with offensive linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker on a three-year deal Monday night.
While acquiring Tucker strengthens their line upfront, the Patriots still need help at tackle following the departure of Vederian Lowe, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Fortunately for New England, there are still several experienced tackles remaining who can bolster their depth at the position–including former Baltimore Ravens tackle Joe Noteboom.
Noteboom Can Fill Lowe’s Void Along Offensive Line
Selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 2018 draft, Noteboom had a shaky tenure with the franchise. While he served as a quality starter and backup, injuries derailed him, as he only appeared in 71 games across seven seasons, starting 35 of them.
Despite this, he proved serviceable when healthy as a versatile lineman, playing everywhere except center. Noteboom spent this past season as the Baltimore Ravens’ backup left tackle behind Ronnie Stanley, appearing in 10 games and starting in one of them. Across 151 snaps, Noteboom allowed one sack and 10 hurries.
Even though he’s shown signs of regression, Noteboom proved that he can be a dependable backup.
Looking at the Patriots current tackle depth, they could use Noteboom’s experience and reliability. Currently, they have Marcus Bryant, Sebastian Gutierrez, and Lorenz Metz as their backups. None of the three has proven reliable. In fact, combined, they have played just 21 snaps, with Bryant accounting for 18 of them. Additionally, only Braynt appeared in any games last season.
With Lowe gone and Thayer Munford Jr. still a free agent, New England doesn’t have a tackle that they can rely on if Will Campbell or Morgan Moses goes down. Considering Campbell missed time with an MCL sprain and Moses’ age, the Patriots desperately need insurance at that position.
New England cannot afford the risk that comes with any of these inexperienced tackles, which is why signing Noteboom should be a priority for the Patriots. Although he may not be as good as he once was, he’s a fringe-level starter who can fill in at either tackle position.
Signing Noteboom shouldn't cost the Patriots much cap space, as Spotrac projects him to land a one-year, $1.59 million contract. At this cost, it would be a no-brainer to sign Noteboom, but I believe the lineman should command a little more money.
Looking at the contracts that backup tackles Darian Kinnard and Stone Forsythe signed, Noteboom should command a similar deal. Taking his experience and versatility into account, Noteboom should earn a one-year, $4 million contract.
If this is his price range, the Patriots shouldn’t hesitate to bring him to New England, as it allows them to add another tackle via free agency if they choose to do so.