Patriots Place OT on ‘Left Squad’ List

The New England Patriots have made a major roster move with a key player.

Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (77) walks to the practice fields for minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have placed offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor on the exempt/left squad list, the team has announced.

As a corresponding move, the Patriots elevated guard Michael Jordan to the active roster.

By placing Okorafor on the exempt list, they were able to open up a roster spot without actually releasing him.

New England signed Okorafor to a one-year deal in free agency with the hope that he would help patch up its shoddy offensive line.

Typically a right tackle, Okorafor started at left tackle during the Pats' season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but he was quickly benched after some early struggles.

Okorafor, who played his collegiate football at Western Michigan, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Steelers and had some impressive moments, so much so that Pittsburgh signed him to a three-year contract extension in March 2022.

However, Okorafor struggled over the first couple of years of his new deal with the Steelers and was ultimately released this past February.

The Patriots then added him, but obviously, things have not exactly worked out for Okorafor thus far.

New England's offensive line was a hot-button issue heading into 2024. Pro Football Network ranked the unit 31st in the NFL, and it's certainly not something that can be rectified with a quick fix.

But clearly, the Pats do not feel that Okorafor can be a part of the solution.

To be fair, Okorafor was playing out of position, but it's not like he was playing great football at right tackle in Pittsburgh, either.

The Patriots will look to improve to 2-0 when they take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 on Sunday.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Patriots Linked To Dynamic Missouri Playmaker
• Former QB Blasts Patriots Over Drake Maye Strategy
• Patriots' Tom Brady Predicted To Join AFC Rival
• Patriots HC Gives Honest Answer About Drake Maye's Starter Reps
• Analyst Makes Wild Suggestion For Patriots