Patriots Have Discussed Trading 3-Year Starter: Report

Getty Isaiah Wynn

Suddenly, the New England Patriots are at the center of a bevy of trade rumors and speculation. Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Patriots have had talks with multiple teams about potentially trading away starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn.

Breer says the Patriots have “definitively” talked to teams about trading Wynn. New England is, as Breer wrote, “tight to the cap,” and they are looking to shed salary at a position where they believe they have depth. Some might argue they don’t have enough proven depth at offensive tackle to trade away a guy who has started 26 games the last two years, but if the Patriots did move Wynn, it proves they believe in the guys behind him.

Wynn is on a fifth-year option at $10.4 million, which might be a bit rich for some teams considering Wynn is a solid, but not elite player at his position. Any team parting ways with Wynn for considerable draft compensation would want to re-sign him, which means his price tag is going to go up above even what he’s making currently.

Because of those factors, it is tough to say he’ll definitely be moved, but with all of the rumblings about Kendrick Bourne and others, it would be a surprise if the Patriots made it to Week 1 of the regular season without pulling the trigger on a trade.


Dalton Keene Cut Loose

The Patriots aren’t completing trades just yet, but they are trimming players from their roster as they move toward the 53-man roster limit. The team released 2020 third-round pick, Dalton Keene.

Injuries were the biggest factor in Keene’s disappointing run with the Patriots. After starring at Virginia Tech as a versatile H-Back type, he simply couldn’t remain healthy enough with New England to make an impact.

Keene appeared in a total of 6games–all in his rookie season–with the Patriots, and he couldn’t get healthy during the current training camp. Bill Belichick and Co. finally decided to cut Keene loose. Perhaps he can take some time off to heal and to make another run at an NFL career.

He seemingly has some Frank-Wycheck-lite qualities to his game, but none of them can show from the sidelines.


More Patriots Releases

New England also said goodbye to a couple of long-shot defensive backs. Tarleton State’s Devin Hafford and former Michigan standout and Detroit Lions cornerback Jalen Elliott were both released last week as well.

Hafford and Elliott were depth guys at best, but it is not impossible for one or both to be brought back as practice squad guys during the season. Hafford had two stints with the Patriots this training camp and Elliott has some familiarity with Belichick assistant Matt Patricia from their time in Detroit.

For now, the Patriots still have a ton of options at cornerback and safety. Terrance Mitchell, Shaun Wade and Jack Joneshave been pleasant surprises at cornerback. At safety, the Patriots are perhaps as deep as they are at any other position with Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger and Josh Bledsoe. Keep an eye on what the team does with other players moving toward  to start of the regular season.

 

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