New England Patriots: Antonio Garcia cleared to play again
New England Patriots offensive lineman Antonio Garcia has been cleared to play after missing his rookie season.
The New England Patriots have a big question mark along their offensive line. Left tackle Nate Solder left in free agency, signing a mega-deal with the New York Giants. Solder’s deal made him the highest paid offensive linemen in the NFL.
The Patriots do not go above a price they are comfortable with, so it is no surprise they were outbid for Solder. However, he is a difficult player to replace, as good left tackles are not easy to find.
With Solder gone, the Patriots need to find a new blindside protector for Tom Brady. He won’t be easy to replace, but the Patriots have a few options that they can at least try and plug into the spot. One of those players is Antonio Garcia.
Garcia was a third-round pick of New England in 2018, No. 85 overall out of Troy. He looked good during camp but ended up missing his entire rookie season. The move to place him on the injured reserve was shrouded in mystery, but it was revealed over time what Garcia was dealing with.
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Garcia was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs and the Patriots placed him on the non-injury list.
It was a serious issue, as Garcia was placed on blood thinners and lost 40 pounds as a result. This could have been a reason he struggled to keep on weight during his time at Troy, as that was one knock against him coming out of college.
While his rookie season didn’t go as planned, he will have a shot to turn things around this season. According to the Boston Herald, Garcia has been cleared to return. Garcia made a post on his Instagram account saying so.
This is excellent news for Garcia. He has a long road to getting back into football shape, but there is still plenty of time to get reacclimated and gain back his strength.
Over that time the Patriots will be able to evaluate whether or not Garcia will be able to help plug the hole along their offensive line. In addition to Garcia, the Patriots also signed Matt Tobin in free agency. New England free agents LaAdrian Waddle and Cameron Fleming could also be retained.
If Garcia is able to return to form, there is a good chance he can help the Patriots. Coming out of Troy, Garcia was regarded as a project, but one that could develop into a starter with the right coaching. The Patriots have one of the best offensive line coaches in Dante Scarnecchia, so if there is anyone that can develop Garcia to the best of his abilities it is Scarnecchia.
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Garcia was a four-year starter at Troy, giving him plenty of experience. Garcia gives the Patriots another option to consider along their offensive line and has a high ceiling as long as they can get him back on track.