5 free-agent interior offensive linemen Carolina Panthers could sign in 2024

Carolina Panthers could sign Mike Onwenu

You’re likely to find this next name towards the top of most lists rattling off the best offensive free agents on the market. Mike Onwenu is going to have a lot of suitors. He’s also going to require a significant chunk of change for the right to have him play on your offensive line.

I didn’t list a position for Onwenu, because his positional versatility is one of the most endearing qualities of his game. He provides additional value to a team getting the privilege to employ his services.

Onwenu has been with the New England Patriots since they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He played all across the line during his rookie season, clocking in as right tackle, both left and right guard spots, and even saw usage as an extra lineman in heavy offensive sets. That ability to fill in wherever a team needs him is likely to play a factor in his contract.

The right side, for what it’s worth, appears to be where he excels the most. Maybe even more specifically you could argue the right guard position is his best spot. The Carolina Panthers have Austin Corbett, but he's coming off two serious knee injuries that call his reliability into question.

One more interesting tidbit when discussing his potential contract value and how that would be negotiated in the process - Onwenu is representing himself in his negotiations.