Patriots Finally Sign First-Round Pick Ahead Of Mandatory Minicamp

Patriots Finally Sign First-Round Pick Ahead Of Mandatory Minicamp originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>The New England Patriots drafted Caleb Lomu in the first round of the NFL Draft this year, and he has finally signed his rookie deal.

>Lomu was the 28th overall pick in the NFL Draft, and he figures to secure the Patriots' future at right tackle soon. Morgan Moses will likely enter the season as the starter, but Lomus will serve as depth and learn from Moses and the coaches in Year 1. He will be ready to take over when Moses retires or the Patriots move on.

>Lomu played left tackle at Utah, but the Patriots have Will Campbell there. It looks like the Patriots' plan with Lomu is to get him ready to be the right tackle of the future. With Campbell and Lomu at the tackle spots, the Patriots will have two players whom they invested first-round picks in protecting Drake Maye.

>By signing Lomu, the Patriots have just one rookie from this year's draft class unsigned. Gabe Jacas, the team's second-round pick, still needs to sign his deal. Terms of Lomu's deal were not announced, but he will have a fifth-year option as a first-round pick.

>Lomu may get more run this offseason than many expect. Moses is 35, so the Patriots may be careful with his practice schedule and give him some extra rest days. That will be a great opportunity for Lomu to play and learn. Even if he is not a starter right away, Mike Vrabel knows it's important to get him ready. He praised Lomu's coachability and emphasized the need for depth on the offensive line.

id="WWVMVKW3HBC33A24NU5YAWBLWY">“He’s been an unbelievably coachable player,” Mike Vrabel said, per MassLive's Mark Daniels. "He’s young, he’s big, he’s athletic, and he’s willing to learn. He’s excited about learning. So, where he plays, we want to end up with the five best linemen. I think he’s going to have the ability to play both sides. But you guys know how this goes. We played 10 linemen last year. We’re going to have to have five good ones that can protect Drake, as well as a swing tackle.”

>More MLB: Former MLB All-Star Laments Current State Of Red Sox