Is Jerod Mayo unhappy with the depth? The Patriots are still awaiting roster changes.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said Monday morning that he expects to make roster changes ahead of his team’s 13th-round game against the Colts.

It makes sense after the Patriots were embarrassed in a 34-15 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday in Miami. Right tackle Demontree Jacobs was replaced by Sidi Sow in the second half, but Mayo made no other major changes during the game.

Mayo explained why other players weren’t benched when asked about the team’s depth on Greg Hill’s WEEI show.

Here was the question:

“I think you could coach differently if you had the opportunity to replace guys who make mistakes. Is this a fair general statement that doesn’t call out anyone in particular?”

Mayo’s response was: “That’s a fair assessment.”

The Patriots have one of the least talented rosters in the NFL, which is certainly one of the reasons why the team is 3-9. But they also don’t get better from week to week, which also reflects poorly on coaching.

Veteran defensive backs Jonathan Jones and Kyle Dugger said after Sunday’s loss that their players weren’t focused or lost focus during the game against the Dolphins. Mayo was asked if this has implications for coaches not only making sure players are focused, but also having fully focused players.

“What I’m most excited about is that we had the evening before the game and the guys were definitely focused and focused,” Mayo said. “Then you go out onto the field and you can see some of the communication issues that were happening on the field. Now it’s easy to say, “We’ll just put a guy in here, put a guy in, take this guy out.” Then you have to think about who you put there. That’s where we are now.”

Considering Jacobs, who was penalized twice and allowed two sacks and nine total pressures per PFF, was benched during the game, it would make sense for the Patriots to have a new right tackle in Week 13 against the Colts. Sow, who hasn’t allowed any pressure in 20 snaps, is one of the options to start, although the new regime primarily viewed him as a defensive back rather than a tackle. The Patriots could move Mike Onwena back to right tackle and put Sow, Cole Strange, who remains on the PUP list but returned to practice last week, or rookie Layden Robinson at right guard. The Patriots have two tackles on the practice squad, Caleb Jones and Jalen McKenzie, although neither player has been used in a game yet. Rookie third-round pick Kadan Wallace is also on injured reserve, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said last week that he would be available for the season.

When Wallace returns, it would be smart to give him the start, especially given Jacobs’ struggles, to see what the Patriots have in him for the future. If Wallace plays well at right tackle like he started at Penn State, it could potentially eliminate the need for an offseason move.

Left tackle Vederian Lowe also struggled, allowing three pressures and a strip sack while being tackled several times, but the Patriots have fewer options to replace him. He has also been a consistent presence for most of this season when healthy.

Left guard Michael Jordan allowed four pressures per PFF. Strangely, Sow and Robinson could replace him on the offensive line.

On defense, Dugger allowed two touchdowns, according to PFF’s chart. The veteran safety was plagued by an ankle injury for much of the season, although communication seemed to be a bigger concern for Dugger than mobility. If Dugger were to be benched, the Patriots could give rookie Dell Pettus or sophomore Marta Mapu larger roles on defense.

Depth isn’t the Patriots’ strong suit, but Strange, a 2022 first-round pick, and Wallace provide more upside than most players currently starting on the offensive line.

Is Jerod Mayo unhappy with the depth? The Patriots are still awaiting roster changes.

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