When the AFC Championship chase ended abruptly in Denver, there was one obvious takeaway -- the Patriots offensive line, particularly their tackles, failed.
In that game, only the team’s tackles -- Marcus Cannon (three), Sebastian Vollmer (one) and Cameron Fleming (one) -- allowed sacks as the Broncos edge rushers wreaked havoc on Tom Brady. The narrative continued into the offseason and the thought was that the Patriots needed to upgrade their offensive tackle depth.
When free agency came and went with the Patriots adding no offensive line help, it was thought that tackle was a top priority heading into last month’s NFL Draft. But when it came time for the Patriots to pick in the third round, they selected Joe Thuney -- the first of two guards drafted.
It’s clear now that the Patriots viewed their offensive-line woes differently than everyone else.
The team let go of offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo and brought back Dante Scarnecchia. The selection of Thuney speaks to resetting the team’s depth chart.
When looking over the Patriots two previous drafts, the team used the fourth round to find offensive linemen who could come in and start right away. In 2014, it was centre Bryan Stork; in 2015, guards Tre’ Jackson and Shaq Mason.
In that same vein, one can only assume that Thuney was brought to Foxboro to play right away.
Before the 2016 NFL Draft, guard wasn’t necessarily thought of as a need position. After drafting two last year, the Patriots extended Josh Kline last season and then traded for Jonathan Cooper. By adding Thuney, it’s apparent that the team wasn't happy with the performance of their young offensive linemen last season.
The inconsistency at guard might also explain why a tackle such as Vollmer struggled throughout 2015. There have been times when we’ve seen offensive tackles try and overcompensate when they’re not confident in the guards next to them. The 2014 season was a prime example. Both Nate Solder and Vollmer struggled in the first four weeks when the Patriots started Jordan Devey and Cannon at guard.
But when Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell were inserted at both guard spots in Week Five, the offensive line came together. That never really happened last year. The Patriots rotated Kline, Mason and Jackson throughout the season. The only player who set himself apart was Kline (before a shoulder injury set him back).
By adding Cooper (in the Chandler Jones trade) and then using a third-round pick on Thuney, it’s clear that the Patriots might not be overly thrilled with the development of last year’s rookies.
When speaking to North Carolina State coaches last week, it’s also clear that Thuney isn’t a developmental prospect.
He started at left tackle last season, but only because the coaches needed help. Both N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren and former offensive coordinator Matt Canada, now at Pitt, saw Thuney as either a guard or centre in the pros, but not because he wasn’t good at tackle. Thuney excelled at every offensive-line spot in college.
“First of all, it says a lot about him as an athlete to be able to even do that. I’ve never been around an O-lineman that can pull it off and be great at it,” Doeren said. “He didn’t give up a sack his senior year and we played six defenses in the top 20. Before you even get into his character, you have to say that you have a heck of a football player.”
“I really thought Joe would be a high pick because he does move so well,” Canada added. “I do see him being a centre or guard at that level. He moves very, very well. And he’s smart. I think he’ll be perfect in that role.”
Thuney will now battle with Kline, Cooper, Mason and Jackson for a spot on the line. The Patriots entered this offseason with question marks on their O-line, but heading into spring workouts, it’s clear that the team thought the interior needed more work.