Wynn or Lose: Can Patriots Keep Star Left Tackle?

Will New England Patriots offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn remain absent from OTAs?

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots are entering the 2022 NFL season with high expectations following a 10-7 finish in 2021.

Photo Cred: Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Mac Jones, Isaiah Wynn, Michael Onwenu - New England Patriots

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Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots

Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots Training Camp

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. In 2021, the primary duties of safeguarding Jones most often fell to left tackle Isaish Wynn.

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

Although the program is voluntary, the 26 year-old was conspicuous by his absence from the start of OTAs on May 23. ESPN confirmed his absence.

Wynn had been spotted working out at Gillette Stadium earlier in the offseason, as the team typically hosts players who are recovering from injury to undergo medical examination and rehabilitation work during the late winter. As such, his absence last Monday raised more than a few eyebrows.

Wynn is entering 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 must work to stay healthy. He 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. While he 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.

Following the departures of Karras and guard Shaq Mason [via trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers], the Pats offensive line will have a new look for the upcoming season. With rookie Cole Strange already playing a prominent role in practice at left guard, Wynn’s absence from OTAs has already provided New England with the opportunity to experiment with alternative offensive line groupings. Last week, the Patriots used starting right tackle Trent Brown on the left side, while reserve lineman Justin Herron aligned at right tackle. By his nonattendance, Wynn may be giving the Pats some food for thought when considering his future with the team — especially if Herron continues to impress his coaches.

Still, at the end of the day, it is all about the money.

Ultimately, Wynn’s fate will likely come down to a fiscal decision. According to Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan, trading the four-year veteran creates approximately just over $9.5M in cap savings, presuming a player w/ an $895,000 salary takes his place on the Top 51 list. Deciding to cut him would decrease New England’s cap space by the same amount, since his fully guaranteed salary of $10.4 million would remain on the cap. Therefore, trading Wynn would be a much more palatable way of severing their on-field ties with the talented, but injury-prone offensive lineman.

In the coming weeks, New England will have to weigh the pros and cons of moving on from their 2018 first-round draft selection. Should he arrive in Foxboro for the second week of organized team workouts, it may be a moot point. However, if his absence remains extended, questions may begin to arise regarding his attendance at mandatory minicamp, set to begin on June 7.

Michael Onwenu, New England Patriots

Trent Brown, New England Patriots

Cole Strange, New England Patriots

At that point, the Patriots may have a decision to make.

Earning some much-needed cap relief by jettisoning the four-year veteran 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.