Could Patriots Pursue Recently-Released Tackle, Sure Up O-Line?

The New England Patriots’ offensive line was down two starters in their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but looked surprisingly competent as they rolled with a rag-tag group up front.

That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be looking for an upgrade, however.

The Cincinnati Bengals released former starting tackle La’El Collins off of the reserve/physically unable to perform list, according to Tuesday’s NFL transaction wire. That move might just be a sign that the football gods are looking down on New England.

The Patriots are dangerously thin at tackle, choosing to enter the year with two veterans (Trent Brown and Calvin Anderson), two rookies (Sidy Sow and Atonio Mafi) and two last-second pickups (Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and Vederian Lowe) as options to protect Mac Jones off the edge. The Week 1 performance was surprising, but not great, as Brown and Anderson each performed above public expectation but below what it will take for the Patriots to move the ball consistently on offense.

That’s where Collins comes in, as the 30-year-old has plenty of experience, starting 86 of 89 games in the NFL. Collins is currently rehabbing an ACL injury that he coincidentally suffered against the Patriots in December 2022.

The addition of Collins to that group would set the motions for things to fall into place for New England, as Mafi and Sow could stick as the backup guards to Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu once they get back and the Patriots could cut plug Collins into the right-tackle spot that has caused them headaches all summer.

The expectation is that Strange and Onwenu will be good to go within the next couple of weeks, which is a solid start, but the addition of Collins could put things over the top.