The New England Patriots may need to strengthen their left tackle position or at least add some depth before their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 8.
One player to watch is Dennis Daley.
According to Christopher Price of The Boston Globe, the Patriots are one of several teams that have shown interest in Daley. The 28-year-old offensive tackle was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.
Per a league source, the Patriots are one of several teams who have inquired about offensive lineman Dennis Daley. Started 15 games at left tackle for the Titans in 2022. He's 28, and has played both guard and tackle in his NFL career. Spent most of 2023 season on IR.
— Christopher Price (@cpriceglobe) August 20, 2024
Daley was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Panthers before moving to the Tennessee Titans in 2022 and then to the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. Over his five seasons in the NFL, Daley has appeared in 54 games, starting 37 of them. Last season with the Cardinals, he played in just three games, starting one.
Daley has experience playing both left tackle and left guard in the NFL. Notably, he started 15 of 17 games at left tackle for the Titans during the 2022 season.
For the Patriots, the leading candidates to start at left tackle are Vederian Lowe and Chukwuma Okorafor. However, neither is an ideal solution for the position. The offensive line has been a significant concern throughout the summer and training camp, especially after struggling against the Philadelphia Eagles during a joint practice at Gillette Stadium last week.
Additionally, Lowe may have sustained an injury during Wednesday’s practice.
Vederian Lowe, who has been the team’s top option at left tackle for the majority of training camp/preseason, departed practice about halfway through today. He walked off under his own power as he put his hand on his side/lower back before leaving.
Caedan Wallace steps in.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 21, 2024
Upgrading the left tackle position should have been addressed earlier, either through the draft or free agency. However, with that opportunity missed, the Patriots now face the challenge of either making it work with the current roster or exploring options on the waiver wire and in free agency before Week 1.
Dennis Daley is just one of many players expected to be released in the coming days. All 32 NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, August 27, which will make additional players available.
