The Patriots know what they’re going to receive from the likes of Tom Brady and Julian Edelman, but which player on New England’s roster is primed to take their game to the next level in the upcoming season?
There’s no shortage of options for the reigning Super Bowl champions. Sony Michel is coming off a strong rookie season, and many believe J.C. Jackson is on the cusp of becoming one of the NFL’s premier cornerbacks. ESPN, however, is expecting a breakout campaign from new starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn.
“The 2018 first-round draft choice out of Georgia was a forgotten man last season after tearing his Achilles tendon in August and missing the season, but he has worked hard to put himself in position to be the team’s starting left tackle,” Mike Reiss writes. “There aren’t many more important jobs in New England than protecting Tom Brady’s blindside. Wynn’s combination of athleticism and power is impressive, even if he isn’t the prototype from a size perspective (6-foot-2, 310 pounds) at left tackle. The key for Wynn will be his health, and if he stays on the field, he has a chance to be mentioned among the game’s best at the position.”
Wynn has inspired optimism in both training camp and the preseason. His long-awaited return to the football field was an encouraging one, as he didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure in the Patriots’ Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans. Wynn isn’t your conventional left tackle at 6-foot-2, but he’s also more athletic than your typical offensive lineman.
The 22-year-old already is facing a tall task in maintaining a clean pocket for Brady. But with center David Andrews likely sidelined for the entire season, the need for Wynn — and the rest of New England’s O-line — to perform at a high level is even greater.
