Onwenu has started games at three different offensive line positions during his NFL career.
What the New England Patriots’ offensive line will look like in 2025 remains to be seen, but Michael Onwenu should be expected to be part of it. In what role, however, remains to be seen and is something the team has not committed to yet.
A sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2020, Onwenu quickly made a name for himself as a physical people-mover capable of lining up in various spots. Over the next five years, he started games at both guard spots, at right tackle, and as a jumbo tight end. Heading into 2025, the team will therefore have options.
There is a preference, though, at least in the eyes of EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf.
“I think ideally Mike is a guard,” Wolf told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this week. “But some of those decisions haven’t been made yet. Obviously, Mike has played tackle for Josh [McDaniels]. Doug Marrone, I don’t believe, has even met him yet. So, we’re going to get to the point where we’ll make the best decision for the team.”
Under his first offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, Onwenu primarily began as a right tackle despite not playing a single snap at the position in his college career at Michigan. He opened his sophomore campaign as New England’s starting left guard, but eventually found himself as a backup and part-time option at his previous spot at right tackle.
Following McDaniels’ departure in 2022, Onwenu returned to the starting lineup; this time exclusively as the Patriots’ right guard. He held that role heading into 2023, and through yet another change atop the offense from Matt Patricia to Bill O’Brien, but was moved back out to right tackle midway through his fourth season — a position the team apparently wanted to keep him in long-term.
But even though he was re-signed via a three-year, $57 million deal last offseason with the intention of playing tackle, he ended up seeing more snaps at guard again. In 2024, under new OC Alex Van Pelt and new O-line coach Scott Peters, Onwenu played 691 snaps at right guard and 329 at right tackle.
With Mike Vrabel now aboard as head coach and McDaniels returning to lead the offense — a process that also led to the hiring of Doug Marrone as offensive line coach — more change could be on the horizon for the 27-year-old.
“I’m not going to get into predictions or where that’s going to be schematically,” Vrabel said earlier this week. “I’ve enjoyed the conversations that we’ve had. I think he wants to be coached. I think he wants to improve on the performance last year. I think there’s a lot there for us to improve from a technique standpoint. Again, I’m just excited about the conversations that we’ve had. It sounds like he wants to be a part of this thing and help us, and we’re excited to be able to help him.”
Whatever the Patriots decide to do, they are aware they need to make a decision sooner rather than later. With free agency coming up and needs all over the line to be filled one way or another, having a clear plan in mind for Onwenu will be a vital part of the roster construction process.
“I think that would be certainly helpful to Mike,” said Wolf, “and helpful to all of us as we develop a strategy moving forward.”