Even though the New England Patriots are on fire, their offensive line continues to be a concern. The Patriots' frontline struggled in Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons, allowing an atrocious six sacks in the victory. New England has now given up a half-dozen snaps in back-to-back outings and has allowed 34 sacks on the season, which ranks 31st as of Monday afternoon.
Although the Patriots upgraded their offensive line in the offseason, it's clear that they're still among the NFL's worst teams in terms of pass protection. Their weakest link on the line has been rookie left guard Jared Wilson, who’s had a disappointing start to his career.
Left Guard Jared Wilson is Off to a Horrible Start
Wilson, 22, was selected by the Patriots in the third round and was regarded for his versatility at Georgia, as he had experience playing center, left guard, and right guard. Heading into training camp, Wilson was considered to be a backup to center Garrett Bradbury but quickly emerged with numerous impressive performances at left guard.
His play at left guard clearly impressed head coach Mike Vrabel, naming Wilson as the team’s starting option. It's been downhill since then, as Wilson has dealt with a lot of growing pains adjusting to professional defensive linemen and has continued his poor play in both the run and pass.
Through eight games, Wilson has allowed 21 pressures, four sacks, 12 hurries, and has drawn two penalties. His 50.7 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 64th out of 78 guards, whereas his 52.7 pass block grade ranks 62nd.
Patriots' fans have every right to be frustrated with Wilson’s play. However, fans shouldn’t point all the blame on him and instead should be upset with the team playing him at left guard. In Georgia, Wilson primarily played at center and played more at right guard than he did at left guard, so it's possible he won't turn things around until he's back in a familiar role.
By playing him at the position he played the least, combined with his limited experience as a starter, the Patriots set Wilson up for failure.
New England gave Wilson a tall task early in his career, and it has resulted in his poor play. While it’s still early to rule Wilson out as a starting-caliber LG, it’s reasonable to question if his selection in April was a mistake. If Wilson’s struggles continue, the Patriots should replace him with backup left guard Ben Brown, who's played to 66.7 run block and 56.0 pass protection grades so far.
The four-year veteran filled in for an injured Wilson in the team’s Week 4 victory against the Buffalo Bills, allowing just two pressures and two hurries in 23 pass blocking snaps. Despite his solid performance, Brown, just like Wilson, lacks experience at left guard, having mostly played at center during his NFL career.
Hopefully, Wilson can improve his play before it's too late. Quarterback Drake Maye and the backfield need the best support possible, which is why it's paramount for the rookie Patriot to prove that his first-half struggles aren't an indication of where his career will go.