For the Wynn - Why Making a Decision on Isaiah Wynn’s Future May Impact Patriots Chances for Success in 2022

The New England Patriots exercised the fifth-year option in left tackle Isaiah Wynn’s contract last spring.

Following a 10-7 finish to the 2021 NFL season, the New England Patriots are entering their offseason with high expectations. Not only did the team return to the playoffs after a one year absence, they restored optimism to the quarterback position with a strong rookie season from starter Mac Jones.

Still, with great power, comes great responsibility…especially along the offensive line.

Protecting Jones is of the utmost importance for New England’s offensive success. When the Pats offensive line was able to provide him with the proper amount of time, the Alabama product proved himself to be quite the capable quarterback. The primary duties of safeguarding Jones most often fall to left tackle Isaish Wynn.

Exactly for how much longer, however, remains a question for the Patriots heading into 2022.

In 2022, Wynn will enter the final year of his rookie contract, hitting the Patriots’ books with a salary cap number of $10.4 million. New England exercised the fifth-year option in his deal last spring. While making such a move would usually indicate a team’s intention to retain his services, at least for the duration of his contract, Wynn’s case is a curious one as it relates to New England’s best interests.

When healthy, Wynn is one of the more fundamentally sound left tackles in the NFL. Though a bit undersized for the position (listed at 6-foot-3), his technique is as solid as any of his peers. At his best, Wynn has the necessary quickness and strength to win battles when going one-on-one against edge rushers, or creating openings for the running game.

Despite the occasional breakdown in protection, Wynn performed reasonably well in 2021, making 15 starts during the regular season. He finished fifth on the team’s offensive unit, having taken 915 (82.8 percent) of their snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Wynn allowed six sacks and five quarterback hits, earning an overall grade of 74.9. He was also flagged for penalties nine times throughout the season.

Though he has proven himself to be effective in his role, Wynn has also struggled mightily with injuries throughout his four year career in the NFL. In addition to missing the entirety of his rookie season with a torn ACL, the former Georgia Bulldog has spent significant time on injured reserve — for a toe injury in 2019, and a knee injury in 2020. During the 2021 season, Wynn enjoyed better health. He missed only one game while on COVID-19/Reserve; the Week Five victory over the Houston Texans. Unfortunately, injury would once again strike during New England’s season-finale against the Miami Dolphins. Wynn exited the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. The same injury would keep him from suiting up for the Patriots’ lone playoff appearance, a 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

With the 2022 season becoming visible on the horizon, Wynn seems intent on entering the Pats’ offseason workout program healthy. He is reportedly among a handful of players who have been spotted working out at Gillette Stadium, as recently as last week. It should be noted that the team typically hosts players who are recovering from injury to undergo medical examination and rehabilitation work during the late winter. Still, Wynn’s presence in Foxboro is a positive sign for his health and resolve heading into the upcoming season.

Of course, Wynn’s health is not his only aspect which requires improvement. In addition to rehabbing his injury, the 26-year-old must also address some of the on-field struggles which caused him some difficulty down the stretch in 2021. At times, he had problems with his initial push out of his stance. He also surrendered his edge a bit more often. Normally an aggressive pass protector, Wynn was a bit slower when positioning himself on schemed pressures. Wynn is more than capable of righting the ship. However, he must return to his ‘strike first’ approach to protecting the run, as well as stopping pass rushers before they hit their stride.

Many have attributed Wynn’s aforementioned struggles to some of the Pats’ personnel changes on the line in 2021. Most notably, he seemed somewhat uncomfortable with Michael Onwenu replacing Joe Thuney [who left via free agency] at left guard. When Onwenu was replaced in the lineup by swing lineman Ted Karras, Wynn’s play improved. Yet, the Pats lineman once again sputtered a bit in the closing weeks of the season. As a result, some have wondered whether Wynn could be a replaceable commodity on New England’s offensive line.

With starting right tackle Trent Brown set to enter unrestricted free agency, speculation has begun regarding the possibility of New England jettisoning Wynn. If Brown returns to the fold, he would slot in at left tackle (a position he played for the Pats in 2018), while Onwenu would return to right tackle, where he earned widespread praise during his rookie season. While this move would be aesthetically pleasing to the team’s fan base, it would be contingent on the Patriots adding an additional lineman via free agency, or the 2022 NFL Draft; preferably Karras who is also headed for free agency.

Ultimately, Wynn’s fate will likely come down to a fiscal decision. It is important to remember that Wynn’s salary for 2022 is fully guaranteed. As such, the Pats would not gain any cap space by releasing him. In fact, according to PatsCap’s Miguel Benzan, New England would lose an approximation of $705,000 (which Benzan estimates as the likely salary of a player who would replace Wynn on the Top 51 list) by cutting the four-year veteran.

Still, that does not prevent the Pats from severing their on-field ties with the talented, but injury-prone offensive lineman. The Pats may look into trading Wynn as a much more intriguing and viable option. New England stands to gain $9,708,000 in cap space by trading the former Georgia Bulldog.

Should the Patriots decide to part ways with Wynn, the decision on how to utilize their financial windfall may be a tell-tale sign of their intentions for 2022 and beyond. Star cornerback J.C. Jackson has recently been the subject of franchise tag-rumors. The cap savings of a Wynn-trade {within the coming weeks] could come in handy when trying to work out a financial solution to his contract situation. At the very least, it would provide the Patriots with substantial cap relief, which would be an asset to the team at they attempt to build their roster for the upcoming season.

In the final analysis, New England will have to weigh the pros and cons of moving on from their 2018 first-round draft selection. Earning some much-needed cap relief may be appealing at first glance. However, losing Wynn’s productivity on the offensive line may end up being more costly for the team in the long run.