Not every New England Patriots player will be on the field for the upcoming voluntary OTAs. Offensive guard Michael Onwenu is expected to be a name on that list, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
After undergoing offseason surgery for an ankle injury that occurred in the 2022 regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills, Onwenu reportedly isn’t expected to be on the field when the team kick-starts OTAs on Monday.
It makes sense not to force anything considering Onwenu was one of the Patriots’ best offensive players last season. An argument could be made that he was deserving of his first Pro Bowl nod with the team after being snubbed in 2021 with an 87.0 overall Pro Football Focus grade.
He finished with a 79.3 overall grade last season, but his pass-blocking saw a dramatic improvement in what many view as a calamitous offensive year for the Patriots team as a whole.
The hope is that Onwenu heals up enough to be ready for training camp. This is a pivotal year in the fourth-year lineman’s career considering he’s playing on an expiring contract.
The Patriots might have to make the decision to either let him walk or dole out a big contract to fortify their offensive line in 2024.
