The OL

[mgteich]

Yes, we could use help at any position, perhaps even a starting RT. Personally, I think that we are fine with the 5 interior OL's, including backups Froholdt and Eluemunor,.

I expect us to add an OT. Wynn, Cajuste and Cunningham doesn't enough., even though Eluemunor can backup at OT, and even be an eligible OL.



STARTERS
Wynn
Thuney
Andrews
Mason
Cajuste

RETURNING BACKUPS
Froholdt (G/C)
Eluemunor (G/T)
Cunningham (T)

ADDITIONAL DEPTH
Onwenu
Herron
Gauthier

 

[Pape]

There will be cuts made by other teams after camp that will provide depth...

This is a good year for depth to be had too... This is my biggest question mark for camp... Not only have we lost talent, we also are breaking in a new o line coach...

Gonna be a doozy ...

 

[captain stone]

Extremely disappointing that Bill hasn't yet signed a veteran RT to replace Cannon...

If Newhouse and/or Waddle are willing & able, then it would be criminally negligent if at least one of them weren't signed later this month, if not this week.

 

[Deus Irae]

Extremely disappointing that Bill hasn't yet signed a veteran RT to replace Cannon...

If Newhouse and/or Waddle are willing & able, then it would be criminally negligent if at least one of them weren't signed later this month, if not this week.

Newhouse? It's bad enough that Waddle was only backup level even before his torn quad, but Newhouse?

 

[DarrylS]

As important as the players are, Dante is gone and remains to be seen what Cole Popovich and Carmen Bricillo are able to do and develop this unit.

Still time to make some changes and additions to that group, but doing so would probably involve some sort of quarantine before they could practice play for the Pats.

 

[Triumph]

There is talk of Thuney to RT.

Thuney has collegiate experience at RT and LT. Perhaps, this explains why the frugal Pats are willing to pay the franchise tag cost. Thuney is the 2nd highest paid Patriot in 2020. New England Patriots Salary Cap | Over the Cap

Cannon was on thin ice before he opted out. Cannon had an outstanding 2018 season but regressed in 2019. I watched Cannon get beat like a rug numerous times by a single rusher.

 

[luuked]

Yes, we could use help at any position, perhaps even a starting RT. Personally, I think that we are fine with the 5 interior OL's, including backups Froholdt and Eluemunor,.

I expect us to add an OT. Wynn, Cajuste and Cunningham doesn't enough., even though Eluemunor can backup at OT, and even be an eligible OL.



STARTERS
Wynn
Thuney
Andrews
Mason
Cajuste

RETURNING BACKUPS
Froholdt (G/C)
Eluemunor (G/T)
Cunningham (T)

ADDITIONAL DEPTH
Onwenu
Herron
Gauthier

It looks like a very good OL to me at the starter positions with Cajuste (or whoever ends up RT) being a wildcard. Add the usual amount of depth to around the end of camp with other teams' rejects and they are not in a particularly bad position unless injuries strike as intense as last year.

 

[jimnance]

Extremely disappointing that Bill hasn't yet signed a veteran RT to replace Cannon...

If Newhouse and/or Waddle are willing & able, then it would be criminally negligent if at least one of them weren't signed later this month, if not this week.

Criminally negligent? I agree. Belichick should be immediately arrested & held w/o bond. These kinds of sociopathic offenders need to be kept of the streets.

 

[jimnance]

The starting ol could be one of the best in the league with the only qualifier being health. Mason , in particular, needs to bounce back from his injury-plagued 2019. He was a beast b4 that and I expect he' ll be bestial again.
Thuney,Andrews and Wynn will all be anywhere from solid to outstanding.
So Mason is really the key, not just because we need a solid rg but also because he lines up next to newbie Cajuste and his quality of play will impact how effective Cajuste is.
I agree with the OP that we need another backup ot. But that wont be hard to get.
Oddds are Pats wont have the bad luck with injuries like 2019. More than anything else, thats what derailed the offense last year.

 

[Hyped]

This is where Wynn's injury history makes me nervous. We absolutely need Wynn more than ever.

 

[Simpelton]

Why the hell are we acting as if Wynn will be a consistent contributor when he's on year 3 o his pro career and has N E V E R been a player we could count on when it matters? The man is damaged goods, you're going to have to use kid gloves until you know what he can handle and what he can't.

Isaiah Wynn has the talent of a starter but the man can't stay healthy. The position he plays is very demanding physically and I can't see his health significantly improving 3 years in. Frankly he should be used sparingly, and NOT as a starter, until we can be more sure of him.

I don't know if they'll do it but what they SHOULD be doing is starting the year with Wynn in reserve and bringing him in in situations that play to his strengths. Then you slowly ramp up his snaps and see what he can handle. I can't think that throwing him right back into the fire is a good idea when he's snapped in half both of the times we've tried it before. Belichick is a student of history, I doubt he'll miss this lesson.

 

[captain stone]

Newhouse? It's bad enough that Waddle was only backup level even before his torn quad, but Newhouse?

Newhouse performed better at RT during his limited reps there than Cannon did at any point last season; he would be a servicable option at RT this season too, but not at LT obviously ... same with Waddle if healthy.

 

[Deus Irae]

Newhouse performed better at RT during his limited reps there than Cannon did at any point last season; he would be a servicable option at RT this season too, but not at LT obviously ... same with Waddle if healthy.

Newhouse was hot garbage. Waddle's a backup, and not a particularly good one.

 

[mgteich]

It looks like a very good OL to me at the starter positions with Cajuste (or whoever ends up RT) being a wildcard. Add the usual amount of depth to around the end of camp with other teams' rejects and they are not in a particularly bad position unless injuries strike as intense as last year.

Yes RT is the wildcard. Thuney might indeed be the solution.

I would note the extremely poor history we've had with rookies who are injured and play their 2nd year.

 

[captain stone]

Newhouse was hot garbage...

NOT at RT he wasn't.

 

[captain stone]

Yes RT is the wildcard. Thuney might indeed be the solution...

Thuney is not the solution at RT...He is a center/left-side OLman...He is not stout enough to be a right-side OLman.

 

[Deus Irae]

NOT at RT he wasn't.

He sucked on both ends of the line. He just sucked less on the right than on the left. If he's your starter, your QB is a dead man walking.

 

[mgteich]

Thuney is not the solution at RT...He is a center/left-side OLman...He is not stout enough to be a right-side OLman.

fair enough. That wouldn't be my choice anyway. I'd rather see Wynn, Cajuste, Eluemunor, Newhouse being our 4 OT's. But, we do need to sign Newhouse, or pick up a veteran RT.

Eluemunor can even be the tackle eligible.
==========
I'm fine with our left and center with Wynn, Thuney, Andrews and Froholdt. Yes, we need a Ferentz replacement, but Guthier seems to have that spot (on the 53 or PS).

BTW, are we the only ones who see a major difference between skill sets between the right and left sides of the OL.

 

[TomPatriot]

Thuney is not the solution at RT...He is a center/left-side OLman...He is not stout enough to be a right-side OLman.

He can play RT. He played it a bit in college. But he’s staying at LG, I think. It’s not a great idea to move your best OL.

 

[mgteich]

He can play RT. He played it a bit in college. But he’s staying at LG, I think. It’s not a great idea to move your best OL.

I agree. The only spot that it could be reasonable is LT if Wynn has problems.