Position Preview: Can the Patriots Offensive Line Add Years to Brady's Career?

What became a weakness last year must be the team’s strength this year. After all, the Patriots need it to be, if they want Brady to stay at the top of his game. Heading into 2013, New England's offensive line had promise. Besides age, the unit had changed little since the year prior, which gave most the assurance they would play at a high caliber level. However, as it usually happens in the NFL, things change swiftly. The world spins a bit faster. Time moves a bit quicker than what us normal folks are used to in our everyday lives.

For some mysteriously annoying reason, the line faltered last year. Call it bad timing, bad decisions or fate. In 2012 they ranked sixth best in the league in protecting Brady whilst under pressure, but that number dropped to ninth worst last season. Let’s be honest, they flat out sucked, so what was their problem?

It’s odd. How does a line, which consists of six time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins, rising tackle Nate Solder, perennial all-pro Sebastian Vollmer, a wealth of depth, and one of the league’s best offensive-line coaches in Dante Scarnecchia collapse under familiar weight and stress? While Vollmer’s early season injury hurt an already shaky line, their depth should have filled the holes. Yet, it didn’t.

Now we turn to 2014 and the same line returns. The Patriots chose to hold onto Dan Connolly and his massive $4.5 million salary. The injury-prone Vollmer will shift back over to his normal right-tackle position and the rest of the line will follow suit. This time, however, the now retired coach Scarnecchia will not be manning the helm. In his stead will be new offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. It will be interesting to see how DeGugliemlo, the lone newbie on this line of consistency can take this group and revert them back to their glory days a la 2012.

With a familiar starting lineup, the Patriots’ offensive line will have to be better at picking up assignments--their main problem last year. A number of times they failed to pick up their guy or were simply beat at the point of impact. According to Pro Football Focus, New England’s offensive line was third worst in picking up unblocked pressure last season. For those who want to argue teams attacked Brady more; and thus, the line struggled to pick up the extra men, you’re simply wrong. Brady was the second least pressured quarterback in the NFL, behind only Peyton Manning, and he ranked ninth in the number of sacks taking when under pressure.

While some of the line’s failure may have to do with the team’s young receiving core failing to get open, more has to with the former’s inability to pick up their attacker. Brady hit the turf due to unblocked pressure 57.9 percent of the time. The only teams the Patriots trailed in that category were Buffalo and Philadelphia.

The Patriots added rookie depth this year to both fill any surprising leaks, as well as provide healthy competition for an aging unit. One lineman to watch out for is Bryan Stork. He and fellow rookie lineman Jon Halapio could push the weaker Wendell and overrated Connolly for their jobs. The Patriots’ line needs some beefing up in the middle. These two rookies will provide just that.