The New England Patriots are reportedly re-signing offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, in a powerful deal that’s bound to significantly realign the franchise’s future.
This contract comes with a hefty price tag that stretches up to $57 million, with a guaranteed $38 million included.
Newly re-signed Mike Onwenu expected to be Patriots' starting right tackle, per @RapSheethttps://t.co/wptmagTKYX pic.twitter.com/IzO7RxGFjC
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 18, 2024
At just 26 years old, Onwenu has proven to be one of New England’s most valuable offensive linemen.
Taking charge of 850 offensive snaps in 2023, which were divided between 194 at guard and 656 at tackle, his performance was convincing.
Pro Football Focus assigned Onwenu a solid grade of 71.5, while also crediting him with allowing 23 quarterback disruptions, which included three pivotal sacks.
Rumors had long circulated about Onwenu being in line for a significant payday, with annual earnings expected to range between $17-18 million.
The Patriots held the power to lay down the franchise tag, which in this case, would have meant guaranteeing Onwenu a $20.9 million salary for 2024.
However, this franchise tag was placed on safety Kyle Dugger. In an unusual move, Onwenu opted to represent himself throughout the negotiations, having split from his former agency last month.
Despite the potential complications that could have arisen during these direct dialogues, Patriots director of scouting, Eliot Wolf, expressed optimism that the negotiation process would not negatively impact the business.
“It doesn’t impact us,” he explained during the NFL Scouting Combine. “Mike’s a core player for us. It’s no secret we want to try to keep Mike, and it’ll be just a 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. He’s certainly someone that we view as a cornerstone for us.”
Onwenu is, without a doubt, a player capable of providing a high level of stability to the Patriots’ offensive line.
With this new deal in place, he is poised to transform New England’s offensive line, and fans can now look forward to his contributions for at least the next three years.
