Patriots Veteran Starter Takes Pay Cut With Revised Contract originally appeared on NESN.
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The New England Patriots cleared some cap space at a seemingly opportune time.
Mike Onwenu signed a revised contract with the Patriots, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The offensive lineman will take a $7.5 million pay cut for the 2026 season, reducing his cap hit from $25 million to $17.5 million.
However, the reworked deal gives Onwenu $10 million in guarantees and bonuses. He had no guaranteed money left in the final season of a three-year, $57 million agreement.
Onwenu has been a staple of New England’s offensive line ever since the Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He’s started 90 of 98 games played over six seasons and hasn’t missed a game since Week 6 of the 2023 campaign.
Pro Football Focus graded Onwenu seventh among 81 qualifying guards last season, ranking fifth in pass protection and 10th in run blocking. He committed three penalties and allowed just one quarterback hit in 1,080 snaps at right guard.
Onwenu returns to an offensive line that signed Alijah Vera-Tucker and drafted Caleb Lomu in the first round. They’ll join Will Campbell, Jared Wilson and veteran tackle Morgan Moses.
The timing of Onwenu’s contract revision may be noteworthy. Rumors continue to swirl about the Patriots pursuing a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for star wide receiver A.J. Brown. Many reports have indicated that any deal likely wouldn’t happen until June 1 or later for cap purposes.
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