Getty Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
After a disappointing preseason and some injuries to players at key positions, the New England Patriots are still arranging workouts for several free agent players.
The latest wave of free agents into Foxborough for workouts included the son of a former college football great, Michigan’s Tyrone Wheatley Sr, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
The Patriots had DB Bubba Bolden (Miami), OT Derek Kerstetter (Texas), WR Dazz Newsome (North Carolina) and OT Tyrone Wheatley (Morgan State) in for free-agent workouts today.
Wheatley Jr. was converted from tight end to offensive tackle while in college. He has excellent athleticism for the offensive line, but he lacks experience. The 25-year-old has spent time on the Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears practice squads, but he has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game.
Wheatley Sr. was a standout running back for the Wolverines from 1991-94. He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1993 and is the school’s fourth all-time leading rusher behind Mike Hart, Denard Robinson, and Jamie Morris with 4,178 yards.
Wheatley Sr. is now the Denver Broncos running back coach.
Patriots’ Offensive Line is in Shambles
New England’s O-Line is having a tough time through training camp and the three preseason games. The pinnacle of the unit’s struggles came in the preseason finale against the Raiders. Trent Brown’s effort has been questioned as The Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard questioned if the big man “is even trying.”
Cole Strange is a rookie.
Mike Onwenu suddenly looks like a scheme-misfit as the team transitions to a zone-blocking scheme, and Isaiah Wynn looks less than motivated, considering he has an uncertain future with the team. His commitment to his craft has been questioned in the past.
Because of those issues, Bill Belichick and Co. are still entertaining other options, such as Wheatley Jr. and Derek Kerstetter. Both have to be considered long shots at this point. However, the Patriots cannot stop trying to find the fix for what ails the offense, specifically the offensive line.
Other Patriots News
- A Silver Lining – Jack Jones
While there are few bright spots on the offensive side of the ball for the Patriots, there are multiple on defense. One of the most promising is rookie cornerback Jack Jones. Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Tame Jr. called Jones the “lone standout” in the loss to the Raiders.
At one point, there were worries about how the Patriots’ defense would replace the contributions of J.C Jackson, who bolted for the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. Worries might have gone a little deeper after Malcolm Butler was underwhelmed in training camp and was released after being placed on season-ending injured reserve.
After three preseason games, the Patriots have gotten strong play from Jalen Mills, Johnathon Jones, and Jones. While he’s still learning the position, Jones looks like a player who will develop into a solid starter and perhaps the next No. 1 corner on the team.
- Tyquan Thornton Injury Update
On a negative note, speedy rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton will miss 6-8 weeks after surgery to repair a fractured clavicle, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
#Patriots rookie WR Tyquan Thornton underwent surgery Monday to repair a fractured clavicle, per source. Recovery time should be 6-8 weeks from the procedure but could vary depending on healing and re-acclimation to football. 2nd round pick still set to help offense this year
Thornton was showing flashes of providing the Patriots with a consistent deep threat in the passing game.
Unfortunately, the injury will stagnant his development and, at best, delay his impact on the team’s offense during games that count.