Patriots Pressed to Sign Former Saints OL

The New England Patriots are being urged to sign this former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman.

Nov 5, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Max Garcia (73) looks on against the Chicago Bears during the first half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots came back down to earth a bit on Sunday afternoon, losing to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 23-20 in overtime.

It seemed very clear that the Patriots' offense was still very limited with Jacoby Brissett under center, which has many wondering if Drake Maye will make an appearance sooner than we thought.

If that ends up being the case, Maye will certainly need more protection up front, which is why Bleacher Report's NFL staff is urging New England to sign former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Max Garcia.

The Pats have obvious issues along their offensive line, and while Garcia is not exactly a Pro Bowler, he is a versatile piece who would at least provide some depth.

Garcia played in every game for the Saints last season, making three starts. He began his career with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and spent four years there before joining the Arizona Cardinals, where he resided from 2019 through 2022.

The 32-year-old has played both guard positions and has even spent some time at center, so he can be moved all along the Patriots' offensive line.

There really is no quick fix for New England's offensive line in 2024. The Pats entered the season with one of the worst units in the NFL, and they even benched offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and placed him on the exempt/left squad list after just one game

Really, the Patriots will just have to patch things together for now and revisit the issue next offseason, where they will almost certainly dedicate considerable resources to shoring up the position.

For now, New England just needs to ensure that Maye will be as safe as possible when he eventually begins taking snaps.

The Pats will take on the New York Jets this Thursday.

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