Patriots: Bill Belichick considering surprise candidate at right tackle

Bill Belichick’s system is on display with who the Patriots are considering at the right tackle position.

When right tackle Marcus Cannon opted out of the 2020 NFL season, New England Patriots fans were undoubtedly concerned given his contributions since 2011. He’s dealt with some injuries, but across nine seasons he’s appeared in 115 games and made 69 starts (most of which have come in the last few years). He was the most valuable Patriot in 2016, too!

But after the initial feeling of worry died down and everybody realized Bill Belichick is still running the show, it was clear the “next man up” mentality would be operating to its highest degree. There are already three players competing for the right tackle job.

And Pats fans could be surprised by one inclusion: Jermaine Eluemunor.

Before we dive into the notes from a Patriots insider, here’s a bit of backstory on Eluemunor. The Patriots acquired the Texas A&M product for a fourth-round pick in a deal with the Baltimore Ravens and then signed him back in April (he was a restricted free agent). It’s clear the Patriots value the 25-year-old based on that alone.

"“When Patriots starting right tackle Marcus Cannon opted out of the 2020 season, the most commonly mentioned candidates to fill the void were 2019 third-round pick Yodny Cajuste (the odds-on favorite) and third-year veteran Korey Cunningham, who the team acquired in a trade from Arizona last September,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote. “But Jermaine Eluemunor is also part of that mix, even though he primarily was viewed as a guard in New England after the team acquired him (and a sixth-round pick) from Baltimore for a fourth-round pick last September. Eluemunor did play right tackle at Texas A&M, where his strength is reflected in his 34 bench-press repetitions at the 2017 combine, and perhaps a return to his college position helps him break through.”"

Eluemunor appeared in 10 games last season — mostly as a special teamer — but he logged reps on the offensive side of the ball at both guard and tackle. He also made three starts (two at left guard and one at left tackle) in his two seasons with the Ravens. His versatility could be huge in the position battle.

The former fifth-round pick is one of the three biggest players on the team (6-foot-4, 335 pounds), which should help his case in protecting Cam Newton. Eluemunor has the seniority advantage here as well (he’s been in the the NFL one more year than Cunningham and two more year than Cajuste).

We’ve heard his name the least this offseason when Cannon’s decision made headlines, but this is how Belichick operates. He moves in silence and next thing you know someone you’ve never heard of is becoming a key contributor in New England.

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