Patriots: Joe Thuney working out at surprising new position

The Patriots were working out OL Joe Thuney at a new position during practice.

There’s really no telling how the New England Patriots offensive line will perform in 2020. That outlook became all the more murky following right tackle Marcus Cannon’s decision to opt out. The 32-year-old veteran is a cancer survivor and understandably didn’t want to risk playing amid the ongoing pandemic.

While it won’t be easy for New England to replace Cannon, however, the versatility of the rest of their offensive line should help them overcome that loss.

In fact, the latest buzz out of Patriots training camp suggests that left guard Joe Thuney has been working out the center position in the early going. Truth be told, we’re not sure what it means, but it does make for some compelling speculation.

Could it be that the Patriots have a contingency plan in place for starting center David Andrews? When you consider that he sat out the entirety of last season due to blood clots in his lungs, it’s very possible. It may sound cruel, but the truth is that nobody knows if the Georgia product’s health will hold up for a full 16-game slate.

Fans in New England will remember that guard Ted Karras filled in for Andrews at center in 2019, playing 90% of the offensive snaps at the unfamiliar position. However, he has since moved on, signing a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins at the start of the offseason back in March.

Thuney might be working out as the Patriots third center, but something tell us he’s the No. 1 backup option in the event that Andrews had to miss more time. The only other center on New England’s depth chart is Tyler Gauthier, an undrafted 2019 free agent who’s bounced around the practice squad.

With all due respect, there’s no way the Patriots would have him snapping the ball to projected starting quarterback Cam Newton if they can help it. Again, this may be a non-story, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on as we inch closer to the start of the 2020 campaign.