Mike Onwenu thinks he can play anywhere on the Patriots O-line

Onwenu feels confident that he could play center in a pinch if the Patriots needed him to.

Mike Onwenu has been a reliable piece of the Patriots offensive line at multiple positions over the last four seasons. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

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Through training camp and two weeks of preseason action, the Patriots’ offensive line has been one of their weakest spots on the team.

The lack of a true, solidified left tackle is a primary reason for that, along with the inconsistency in which five linemen represent the first team — and what position on the line they play.

Through the carousel, Mike Onwenu is trying to prove his reliability can stretch from position to position. Already in his short time in New England, Onwenu has been a standout at both right guard and right tackle.

This preseason, he’s done a little bit of both. And on Saturday, he reiterated his confidence to play anywhere on the line, even a spot he’s never played before: center.

“I’m sure I could,” Onwenu said when asked if he’s ever played center. “I haven’t before, but I know how to snap and all. So, I’m sure of it. … Each year through the summer I’ve practiced snapping, just in case. Last resort type thing.”

Luckily for Onwenu, center is one of the few positions on the Patriots offensive line that’s already solidified. Eight-year NFL veteran David Andrews will be handling those duties once again in 2024.

As for the line as a unit, Onwenu knows it’s still a work in progress. The 2023 Patriots had one of the worst offensive line groups in the NFL, and through all the work Eliot Wolf and New England have done to rebuild in the first year post-Bill Belichick, the offensive line hasn’t been substantially upgraded.

The Patriots brought in Chukwuma Okorafor and drafted Caedan Wallace, but both are primarily right tackles — or at least they have been until this offseason. Vederian Lowe has seen plenty of action at left tackle, but still lacks consistency as the preseason nears its end.

Onwenu trusts the group alongside him, though, to take the necessary steps in practice to improve as a unit.

“Each day has been good, some days we’ve regressed, but each day is a day for us to try new things and get better and compete,” Onwenu said. “It’s more our technique or our own individual thing that happened versus us getting beat by the opponent.”