With the 2024 NFL season coming to a close on Sunday after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 44-20 in Super Bowl 59 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, the offseason is officially upon us.
Free agency starts in roughly a month, and at that point, every NFL team will be able to add talented veterans to their roster with the hopes of improving their chances of making the postseason and winning a Super Bowl.
However, the New England Patriots made a move on Monday to help out one of their veterans, as ESPN’s Field Yates reported that they’re releasing offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor early.
Okorafor, 27, was set to become a free agent in March, but now, he’ll get a head start on looking for a new team and could sign as soon as possible.
The Patriots signed Okorafor to a one-year, $4 million contract last offseason after he spent the first six years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England hoped that they’d be able to convert him to a left tackle after he strictly played the right side in the NFL.
Okorafor earned the team’s starting left tackle role out of camp, but just 12 snaps into the season opener, New England benched the former Western Michigan offensive lineman. He left the team before their Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and was placed on the exempt/left squad list, keeping him from playing the rest of the year.
The Patriots turned to Vederian Lowe to protect Drake Maye’s blind side for most of the season after that, and it was tough to watch. If they want to succeed with their young quarterback in 2025, they need to find a reliable, competent option to play left tackle.
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