Patriots offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn has missed valuable time during New England’s ongoing training camp and the reasoning, as so often is the case within the confines of Gillette Stadium, has not been well-documented.
Wynn has been absent for the past week. He was limited in practice last Monday before being absent Tuesday and not playing in New England’s preseason opener at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. All told, Wynn now has been a non-participant in four consecutive sessions including the first day of joint practices with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday.
Bill Belichick was asked by reporters if Wynn would participate in joint practices against the Panthers and the Patriots coach offered a brief response calling the former first-rounder “day-to-day.”
“Yodny’s doing well,” Belichick said in reference to backup tackle Yodny Cajuste, per the team. “Isaiah is day-to-day. I don’t think he’ll participate today. We’ll just take it day to day.”
The day-to-day designation, though, isn’t overly transparent given it could be either some sort of injury or potentially some sort of contract situation.
Wynn, who was switched from left to right tackle this preseason, has faced questions regarding the conclusion of his rookie contract. He said in June he wasn’t worried about his contract, but it’s since led to trade speculation. Nevertheless, Wynn is entering the final year of his rookie deal after the Patriots picked up his fifth-year option last spring. He owns a cap hit and base salary of $10.4 million.
Wynn remains the projected right tackle to start the 2022 season with Trent Brown taking over on the left, and the Patriots likely would be at their best should that be the case. But it’s a matter of when Wynn will return to the field in order to take back those valuable reps from a capable starter in Cajuste.
The Patriots and Panthers will take part in another joint practice Wednesday before playing a preseason game at Gillette Stadium on Friday night.
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