Patriots' GM Wolf Reveals Onwenu Contract Decision

New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo expressed interest in keeping offensive lineman Mike Onwenu in free agency at the NFL Combine.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New England Patriots are ready to turn the page on the 2023 season ... but not before bringing back some key pieces from the 4-13 team.

With over $75 million in cap space to spend, New England should have its choice of players, and Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf already has one on his mind: offensive lineman Mike Onwenu.

“Mike’s a core player for us,” Wolf said Tuesday at the NFL Combine. “It’s no secret we want to try to keep Mike ... he’s certainly someone that we view as a cornerstone for us.”

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots guard Mike Onwenu (71) blocks against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium / Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Onwenu, a sixth-round pick in 2020, has started all 32 games he's played in across the past two seasons while serving as a versatile member of New England's offensive line.

According to Pro Football Focus, Onwenu has played over 1,500 snaps at right tackle and over 1,800 combined snaps at left and right guard.

He saw 656 snaps at right tackle this past season compared to 194 at right guard, where he played over 1,000 snaps in 2022.

The 26-year-old Onwenu allowed only three sacks last season, and his support from the Patriots' brass extends beyond Wolf - just ask head coach Jerod Mayo.

“I love big Mike,” Mayo said at the NFL Combine. “I think he has the versatility to play guard or tackle. One of those guys when he’s going, he’s dominant.”

Onwenu fired his agent on Sunday and is currently without representation, but Wolf is unconcerned with the development.

“It doesn’t impact us,” Wolf said. “It will just be a little bit of a wrinkle dealing with him. Mike’s really smart and he’s introspective and he’s thoughtful, and he knows what he wants, which is always good when you’re dealing with a player.”

The Patriots' interest in retaining Onwenu stems, at least in part, from their philosophy of building through the draft.

By keeping players like Onwenu and safety Kyle Dugger who were homegrown in New England, it helps the organization push its culture forward.

So, a priority has been placed on keeping the duo - and Wolf didn't rule out resorting to the franchise tag.

“I would say that all the options are on the table,” Wolf said. “We definitely want to keep Mike and Kyle, and we’re hopeful to continue to work with Kyle’s agent and Mike to make that happen.”

Could Patriots Franchise Tag Dugger?

The deadline to designate the franchise tag is March 5, while free agency is set to begin at 4 p.m. on March 13.

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