Trading away Marcus Cannon proves Patriots trust Isaiah Wynn
By Mike Luciano
The New England Patriots were staring down a logjam at offensive tackle after acquiring Trent Brown from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brown coming to town meant that either former first-round pick Isaiah Wynn or veteran right tackle Marcus Cannon would be the odd man out.
Bill Belichick, who usually has a bit of preference for veteran players over youngsters, decided to buck his own trend this time around.
His latest personnel decision has shown the trust he has in Wynn at left tackle.
New England traded Cannon to the Houston Texans, who are now oversaw by former Patriots executive Nick Caserio. In exchange, the two teams will swap fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round picks.
Wynn has struggled to stay on the field in his three seasons as a member of the Patriots, but they choose to keep him over someone with multiple championships in Cannon, which shows the extreme expectations that Belichick is placing on Cam Newton’s bodyguard heading into the 2021 season.
A trade among old friends: The #Patriots are trading OT Marcus Cannon to the #Texans, sources say, in a deal that includes swapping picks. Cannon does return after a year away, but not in New England – and Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio do a trade.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2021
Isaiah Wynn will play a critical role for the Patriots in 2021.
Wynn has missed 30 of a potential 48 games in his NFL career, including his entire rookie season due to an Achilles injury. While there’s still time to add some depth, this trade goes to show that Belichick believes Wynn can solidify the left side for the next few seasons.
When he’s been on the field, Wynn has been nothing short of excellent despite the fact his measurables are fall short compared to most elite tackles. He allowed just three sacks last season and was tagged with two penalties despite managing to get 641 offensive snaps under his belt for the Patriots.
New England has until May 3 to pick up the fifth-year option on both him and running back Sony Michel, his college teammate. While they might be a bit ambivalent about signing him to a new long-term contract at this juncture, this does look like a sign that his option will be picked up, keeping him in New England for at least the next two seasons.
Wynn’s injuries have masked the fact that he is one of the best young offensive tackles in the league, and Belichick is putting the onus on him to stay healthy and keep dominating with the trade of Cannon. With Wynn at left tackle and Brown on the right side, Belichick is building Newton a wall. Time will tell if they hold up enough to get New England back to the postseason.
