Have we seen the last of Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle for the New England Patriots?
Okorafor, who signed in the offseason to be New England’s top left tackle, was benched during the first quarter of Sunday’s road win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Vederian Lowe played the remainder of the game at LT and appears primed to start in Week 2 when the Patriots host the Seattle Seahawks.
Head coach Jerod Mayo was asked about Okorafor’s benching during a Monday morning video conference.
Jerod Mayo Opens Up on Benching Chukwuma Okorafor in First Quarter
Mayo was asked to confirm whether Okorafor was benched. And while the first-year head coach avoided that specific term, he essentially confirmed Okorafor was removed from the game due to poor performance.
“I think he has the entire skill set to be a good tackle in this league,” Mayo said. “I would say during the game, there were some challenges. He had some challenges and some struggles over there, and Lowe came in and did a great job for us. Once again, it’s about competing each and every week, and we’ll see how this week of preparation goes.
“(Okorafor) may be in there. I’m not sure. We’ll just have to see how the week goes.”
LIVE: Jerod Mayo Press Conference 9/9: https://t.co/NxGSCl4Ivo
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 9, 2024
New England’s much-maligned offensive line provided a mixed bag in the season opener, but on the whole, the group exceeded expectations.
The pass protection wasn’t great, as the Patriots allowed Jacoby Brissett to be pressured 44.8% of pass-blocking snaps, per TruMedia. That was the second-highest rate among all teams in Week 1, with the Denver Broncos posting the worst rate at 44.9%.
On the other hand, New England allowed just one sack, and the run blocking enabled Rhamondre Stevenson to post 4.8 yards per carry. It was a step in the right direction for an offensive line that still hasn’t settled into a reliable five-man lineup.
“I’ve been saying it for a long time: I think the whole offensive line conversation has been overblown,” Mayo said Monday morning. “Every game, every preseason game, those guys have done a good job moving bodies and establishing toughness on the line of scrimmage. They did that yesterday.
“I’m not really too concerned with the offensive line. Those guys are going to get better every week.”
There’s reason to believe the Patriots O-line will settle down and become an effective unit. But will Okorafor have any role?
PFN Analysis: Okorafor Might Stay on the Bench for a While
There’s no sugarcoating it: Okorafor was terrible before being benched after 12 snaps.
The veteran allowed pressure on 33% of his six pass-blocking snaps, the highest rate among offensive tackles, per TruMedia.
His Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade? Goose egg.
Credit to the Patriots for pulling LT Chukwuma Okorafor for Vederian Lowe mid-drive. They probably don't win if that move isn't made. This couldn't keep happening. pic.twitter.com/hAmq01dT3X
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 9, 2024
Although Mayo said there’s a chance Okorafor will play against the Seahawks, it’s hard to envision Lowe not getting the start. The real mystery surrounds who would replace Lowe in the event of an injury.
Ideally, it would be Okorafor. But given his training camp struggles and woeful Week 1 performance, he could be behind rookie Caedan Wallace on the depth chart. Wallace, who can play both tackle spots, saw 18 snaps on Sunday while serving as a jumbo tight end.
At this point, it’s clear Okorafor should focus on right tackle, the position he played the last four seasons while with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, with Mike Onwenu entrenched at RT and Wallace potentially the top backup, Okorafor might be left without a clear path toward playing time.
Obviously, it’s just one game, and there’s plenty of time for Okorafor to change the narrative. But his Patriots career is off to a rough start.