The New England Patriots turned former Pittsburgh Steelers OT Chukwuma Okorafor back into a left tackle. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be turning him into a dramatically better player. Quietly signing a one-year deal with the Patriots in March, Okorafor has been battling for a role in the lineup.
In Sunday’s preseason finale, the Patriots gave him a chance to play left tackle, the spot he occupied in college. The results were exceedingly poor. Not in true play but in penalties. Okorafor was flagged a whopping three times for illegal formation, including one that wiped out a 48-yard touchdown.
Okorafor’s issues were so persistent even referee Shawn Hoculi appeared to take notice, calling out that the left tackle again aligned illegally.
“Illegal formation. Once again, left tackle No. 77 was lined up in the backfield,” he said.
Okorafor was aligned too deep, not getting his helmet through the waist of the center to keep him on the line and create a legal formation. Per Patriots’ beat writer Doug Kyed, his penalties were emblematic of the Patriots’ entire offensive line. A group that led to QB Jacoby Brissett leaving with a shoulder injury.
Rookie QB Drake Maye attempted to engineer a two-minute drill drive and found WR K.J. Osborn open for a 48-yard score that would’ve put the Patriots up 14-0. But Okorafor’s illegal formation brought it back, leading to Hoculi’s humorous quip above.
https://x.com/ByMarkDaniels/status/1827881356354785369
Okorafor’s other two penalties were declined. Not that it’s going to make the coaching staff any happier. Pittsburgh took Okorafor in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Shifting him to right tackle for most of his career, he started 59 games, including 48 from 2020 to 2022. He opened 2023 as the starter before being benched mid-season for supposed negative comments he made about the team following a Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rookie Broderick Jones took over for him and Okorafor logged just 11 offensive snaps the rest of the season. Pittsburgh released him in February.
Speaking to Patriots’ reporters in May, Chukwuma Okorafor took a swipe at some of the coaching he received in Pittsburgh and credited New England for teaching him improved technique.
He spent the team’s first two preseason games at right tackle before flipping over to the left side. The consensus from those watching and covering the game is the Patriots’ clear need for offensive tackle help. Fans and media certainly weren’t impressed.
Now that they have their hopeful franchise savior, New England needs to focus on investing in the offensive line. Assuming they have a high pick next season, a top tackle like LSU’s Will Campbell, could be high on their radar.
