4 Patriots Starters Fans Want Replaced This Offseason

3. OG Atonio Mafi

The Patriots selected Atonio Mafi 144th overall at the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping he could bolster the offensive line. The 6-foot-3, 330-pound guard was fresh off a second-team All-Pac-12 campaign at UCLA and looked like he had the tools to succeed on an NFL O-line.

Nevertheless, Mafi was the source of many Patriots fans' headaches this season. He allowed a whopping 32 pressures (24 hurries, 5 sacks, 3 hits) on 296 pass-block snaps and was even tied for the seventh-most penalties (7). When it came to PFF's grades for fellow guards, the San Mateo, CA native ranked second-worst at run blocking, fourth-worst at pass blocking, and second-worst overall.

Mafi only turns 24 in October, so, in theory, he still has time to get better. On the flip side, the Patriots need the best O-line possible if they want their future quarterback to succeed. Even though Mafi "only" started in five of his 17 appearances last season, it's clear that giving him more starts could be detrimental to the offense going forward.

For now, it's clear that a backup role is best for Mafi.