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The New England Patriots are reportedly exploring options to strengthen their offensive line, a crucial position group for the team, which has struggled with staying healthy in recent years. According to Pro Football Newsroom’s James Larsen, Jerod Mayo and the coaching staff have arranged a workout with Liam Fornadel, an offensive lineman who played for the DC Defenders in the XFL last season. Fornadel is also scheduled to work out with the Green Bay Packers this week.
Fornadel, a standout from James Madison University, where he appeared in 55 career games from 2017 to 2021, making 41 starts on the offensive line. His performance earned him significant recognition, including First Team All-American honors in 2019 and Second Team accolades in 2021.
Fornadel is coming off of an excellent 2023 campaign in the XFL. He played every snap for the Defenders last season without allowing a sack, showcasing his reliability and skill. His impressive performance earned him a spot on the 2023 All-XFL team, a testament to his abilities and potential value to NFL teams needing offensive line help. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 312 pounds, Fornadel’s physical attributes and proven track record make him an attractive candidate for bolstering the Patriots’ offensive line.
Patriots Continue Offensive Line Shuffle
Larsen’s report came shortly after the Patriots adjusted their offensive line depth. New England recently waived Andrew Stueber, a seventh-round draft pick from 2022, and filled his roster spot by signing undrafted free-agent wide receiver David Wallis.
The move to consider Fornadel highlights the Patriots’ ongoing efforts to enhance their roster and address weaknesses. Following an offseason of moves, the biggest concern is the offensive line, especially the left side. Left guard Cole Strange is expected to miss a significant portion of the regular season, and last year’s starting left tackle, Trent Brown, is departing for Cincinnati in free agency.
Currently, left guard duties are likely to be handled by a rotation that includes Atonio Mafi and rookie Layden Robinson. But the most pressing issue is at left tackle, arguably the most crucial position on the offensive line. The Patriots signed Chukwuma Okorafor from Pittsburgh, who is anticipated to start despite his lack of success last year in Pittsburgh.
Okorafor was benched during the 2023 season, but the Patriots hope to get much more out of him than the Steelers did. The only other option is rookie Caedan Wallace, who played on the right side at Penn State and was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Offensive Line Concerns Linger in New England
ESPN staff writer Mike Reiss has pointed out that numerous ex-NFL linemen turned NFL analysts have raised some concerns regarding the Patriots’ offensive line. Reiss referenced Ross Tucker, a former NFL offensive lineman and host of the “Ross Tucker Football Podcast,” who believes the Patriots are taking a significant risk with the offensive line this season.
“The left side is very, very concerning,” Tucker said. “Both of those guys (Okorafor and Wallace) are question marks, and to me moving them to left, now it’s like a double question mark. Maybe they feel like between the two guys at least one of them will work out, but I’ve seen game before where neither of them works out. That can be problematic.”
Former Patriots offensive lineman and current football analyst Damien Woody spoke to ESPN’s Mike Reiss about the Patriots’ current offensive line and expressed some serious concerns. “They have some work to do,” Woody told Reiss. Woody also said that most teams making a playoff run have a few critical things in common, and one is solid offensive line play.
“I always tell people, at the end of the year into the playoffs, the teams that are playing usually have a really good quarterback and, more than likely, a pretty damn good offensive line. It’s rare that you see a bad offensive line playing deep into the postseason,” said Woody.
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