Patriots: Isaiah Wynn and David Andrews absences helping backup OL
The Patriots have been without Isaiah Wynn and David Andrews at training camp.
What seems like really bad news on the surface could actually help the New England Patriots. This team has proven time and time again that it can get by without some of its starters, so why not prepare for that to be a reality?
For reasons unknown, Isaiah Wynn and David Andrews — two crucial members of the offensive line that have been significantly limited over the last couple seasons — have been absent from training camp on Monday and Tuesday.
It’s a no-brainer that the Patriots would love to have their starting left tackle and center getting all the reps they can, especially with Cam Newton expected to take over as the new quarterback, but the backups getting reps with the first team is also important for the squad’s overall development.
The last two practices have taxed the depth on the Patriots’ OL, as center David Andrews and left tackle Isaiah Wynn have not been present. So younger players like 2019 fourth-rounder Hjalte Froholdt and 2020 sixth-rounder Mike Onwenu among depth options in the spotlight.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 1, 2020
Newton missed practice Monday and returned Tuesday, as did a number of others, so perhaps Wynn and Andrews are just getting some rest since they both battled health issues last year — Wynn had a food injury that landed him on IR, and Andrews missed all of 2019 with blood clots in his lungs.
With Marcus Cannon out for 2020 and Joe Thuney apparently practicing at multiple positions along the O-line, it can’t hurt to give the younger guys some exposure. You’ve probably never heard of them, but Hjalte Froholdt and Mike Onwenu are stepping in while these guys are out.
If the Patriots drafted them, it means head coach Bill Belichick saw something in their abilities. Froholdt, who the Pats used a fourth-rounder on in 2019, barely played at Arkansas in his four years there and was moved to the offensive line after coming in as a D-lineman. Onwenu rarely played at Michigan, but the Pats still used a fifth-rounder on him.
Andrews and Wynn missing two straight practices with the season less than two weeks away is something to monitor. Still plenty of time for them to return, but that would likely mean Hjalte Froholdt and Korey Cunningham being forced to step up.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 1, 2020
We’ve talked about Korey Cunningham before as well. He was a seventh-round pick out of Cincinnati in 2018 and figures to get a lot more playing time with Cannon out.
At the very least, we can see what Froholdt and Onwenu are made of, right? It’s not the worst thing that can happen. Belichick used draft picks on them for a reason, and there’s no better time to diagnose their abilities than when the offense is transitioning into an unknown 2020 campaign.
