Patriots have perfect opportunity to steal promising OL prospect on trade market

When you think of the New England Patriots’ biggest offseason needs, it’s become increasingly apparent that positions like quarterback, wide receiver, defensive end, linebacker and tight end should be the front office’s top priority.

That’s obviously easier said than done as the Pats will have to compete with other teams for certain players’ signatures, but their favorable cap situation — 68.78 million, which is good for the third-most in the league — should make patching up those roster blemishes fairly painless.

However, just because those positions stand out the most in terms of weaknesses, doesn’t mean that others shouldn’t be addressed.

In fact, when you consider that guard Joe Thuney and center David Andrews are both slated to enter free agency, the Patriots could definitely stand to benefit from adding another offensive lineman.

Luckily for them, the Titans are reportedly shopping 2020 first-round pick Isaiah Wilson after he struggled with off-the-field issues throughout his rookie season. If this report doesn’t have all the makings of a future Bill Belichick reclamation project, then we’re honestly not sure what does.

The Titans are reportedly shopping 2020 first-round pick Isaiah Wilson.

It’s worth noting that trading for Wilson would be an incredibly risky move, as his track record is far more alarming compared to an embattled player the Pats would normally take under their wing. The 22-year-old tackle was arrested for DUI right before the start of the season in September and received a trespass warning while attending a party just one month earlier.

Unfortunately for Wilson, his off-field troubles didn’t end there. He began training camp on the reserve/COVID list for failing to adhere to health and safety protocols and endured another stint on that list right at the time of his DUI arrest. Later in the season, the Georgia product was suspended by Tennessee for violating team rules and ultimately landed on the reserve/non-football illness list due to “personal issues.”

Taking all of this into account, a trade would clearly be in the best interest of both parties, and we really don’t see why the Patriots — who are more than accustomed to coaching up young players with maturity and personality issues — wouldn’t get the Titans on the phone.

Wilson graded out as a first-round prospect leading up to the 2020 draft, but ultimately fell to the No. 29 overall pick as a result of his off-field concerns. Still, however, his talent as a blocker cannot be ignored. At 6-foot-6 and 350 pounds, he’s plenty strong and (somehow) nimble enough to handle his own off the edge.

The former Bulldog enjoyed great success in the loaded SEC, earning an 84.6 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and allowing just nine pressures during his final year in Athens. He isn’t as polished against the run, but his 78.5 and 76.2 run blocking grades over two seasons are certainly nothing to scoff at, either.

Given how Wilson found it impossible to see the field as a rookie (he played just six snaps), the Titans would be lucky to get anything more than a mid or late-round pick for him. In most circumstances, the young lineman would’ve been released already, but given his potential, Tennessee is holding out hope that somebody hits them up with an offer.

If we were in the Patriots shoes, we would absolutely take a flier on him. Promising offensive linemen don’t become available very often, and Wilson could most likely be acquired for pennies on the dollar. He could end up being a tremendous depth option or, in a much more unlikely scenario, take over for Isaiah Wynn in 2022 if the team declines his fifth-year option.

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