Ted Johnson, Amina Smith and Mike Giradi weigh in on the Patriots using their franchise tag now that the NFL window has opened. Ted Johnson says if he was going to tag anyone, it would be Mike Onwenu.
Mike Onwenu is a free agent in more ways than one, it appears.
The New England Patriots offensive lineman "informed teams via email" that he has terminated his relationship with his agents, Roosevelt Barnes and Jovan Barnes, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported Sunday.
Onwenu will be without an agent for at least the next few days, as NFL rules state players must wait at least five days after firing their agents before hiring a new one. Florio also added that the 26-year-old "might decide to represent himself."
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Onwenu is one of the best Patriots players set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13. The 2020 sixth-round pick made a seamless transition from guard to right tackle last season, grading out on Pro Football Focus as New England's second-best offensive lineman behind Trent Brown, who only appeared in 11 games. Both Brown and Onwenu are set to be free agents, so if the Patriots sign neither player, they'd have glaring holes to fill at both offensive tackle spots.
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With Brown seemingly seeking a change of scenery, re-signing Onwenu should be a priority for the Patriots this offseason. He wouldn't come cheap -- it would cost the team roughly $21 million to give Onwenu the franchise tag in 2024 if they can't work out a long-term contract -- but would give head coach Jerod Mayo at least some continuity along his offensive line.
"If you want a starting tackle, if you don't want to have to completely start fresh at one of the most important positions in the league, you're going to have to cough up some money eventually," our Patriots insider Phil Perry said recently on NBC Sports Boston's Arbella Early Edition. "They should do it with Onwenu."
It's unclear how Onwenu firing his agents will impact his negotiations with the Patriots, but it's worth monitoring whether he hires new agents or decides to represent himself in free agency.
