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NFL teams had until Tuesday to place the franchise tag on key impending free agents. A lot of star players were hit with the tag, including the likes of Kansas City Chiefs corner L’Jarius Sneed, Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns, and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., among others. But some stars slipped through the cracks. One lowkey player who was not tagged was New England Patriots offensive lineman Michael Onwenu.
Onwenu is one of the better unheralded offensive linemen in the NFL and could make a big impact on teams like the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. He is a super versatile player who was the bright spot in 2023 on New England’s otherwise poor offensive line. Onwenu can play at both tackle or guard and do it well. Every team can use extra insurance on the offensive line and he can provide that and then some, so he will be a very coveted free agent.
With that being said, here’s why the Jets and Bengals are the best landing spots for Onwenu.
New York Jets
There may not be a team who needs help on the offensive line more than the New York Jets. Not only was New York’s offensive line battered for most, if not all, of the 2023 season, but many of their players also struggled. It was a big reason why the Jets played roughly 20 different offensive line combinations last year.
"The Jets went through 13 different offensive line combinations this season."
It was significantly more than that. pic.twitter.com/9QZTZPBSQi
— Edward Jerlin (@ejerlin) January 19, 2024
As one would think, that would result in extremely poor play from the Jets’ offensive line as a whole. New York ranked 30th in the NFL in pass block win rate and 29th in run block win rate according to ESPN’s trench win rate metrics. They also were tied for the fourth-most sacks allowed in 2023 with the Tennessee Titans. Only the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Carolina Panthers allowed more sacks last season than the Jets.
The stakes are high for the Jets. Aaron Rodgers’ window is short and only getting more narrow. Offensive line was a glaring weak spot for New York heading into last season and was a factor for the Jets getting only four snaps from Rodgers in the entire 2023 campaign. They already have a great defense and a fantastic number one receiver in Garrett Wilson. Their number one priority has to be keeping Rodgers upright. Onwenu can help them do just that.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are another team that has had issue keeping their quarterback upright. Joe Burrow’s hamstring injury he suffered in training camp was not necessarily on the offensive line, but they didn’t do the best job in keeping him safe during the regular season. The Bengals’ offensive line was solid in the ground game. Their run block win rate was ninth in the league.
But Cincinnati struggled in the passing game. The Bengals were 27th in pass block win rate in 2023. Only the New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots were worse in that metric. The Bengals also allowed 50 sacks last season, which was tied for the seventh-most on the year. In addition to the teams listed above regarding the Jets, only them and the Denver Broncos allowed more sacks than Cincinnati in the previous campaign.
The Jets and the Bengals have to make protecting Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow their top priority. Their legitimate Super Bowl hopes rest on them and neither team had those guys available for the whole 2023 season. Michael Onwenu can be beneficial, and both teams should go heavy after him in free agency.
More must-reads:
- Five most underrated moves of the NFL offseason
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