The first reaction from many New England Patriots fans upon finding out about Marcus Cannon’s contract extension was, “huh?”
Cannon has been a solid reserve for the Patriots since being selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft, but among players in contract years — like safety Devin McCourty, cornerback Darrelle Revis, running back Shane Vereen or even kicker Stephen Gostkowski — the offensive lineman was one of the last expected to sign on long term in the middle of the season.
The Patriots took a similar offensive lineman, Cameron Fleming, in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft, and Cannon struggled to adapt to a position change at the beginning of the season when asked to play guard. It sounds like Cannon will stay at tackle from now on, though.
“Last year, he had an opportunity to play a lot,” Belichick said. “I thought he played well. This year, he gives us a lot of depth at a key position. It’s always good to have him on the field. He works hard. Very athletic guy. Tough.”
Cannon played well at right tackle last season after starter Sebastian Vollmer went down with a broken leg.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
