The New England Patriots found out that they’d be without starting right tackle Marcus Cannon in 2020, as he’s decided to opt-out of the season, via the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian.
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to allow players to sit out this season due to fears surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. If a player is considered “high-risk,” they will receive a $350,000 stipend and the year will count as an accrued season even though they didn’t play. If a player does not fall into that category, they’ll receive a $150,000 stipend and the year won’t count as an accrued season.
For Cannon, he likely falls in the “high-risk” category, as he battled cancer at the beginning of his NFL career. He’ll have one year remaining on his contract for the 2021 season if he decides to return.
The Patriots will have a pretty large hole to fill on the right side of their line. In the past when Cannon has dealt with injuries, the team has been able to find a competent replacement most of the time. In the most recent case, Week 2 of 2019, Cannon was being replaced by Marshall Newhouse. Newhouse, despite constant criticism at left tackle, was decent on the right side.
New England has a few options for this season.
Yodny Cajuste
The Patriots drafted Cajuste in the third round of the 2019 draft despite having surgery that would likely (and did) end his rookie season before it even started. From a health standpoint, reports are that the tackle from West Virginia is ready to participate in the offseason program. If the team thought that highly of him to take him knowing he’d likely miss a year, that should show that they’d have confidence in him at least trying out at the right tackle spot.
Korey Cunningham
Cunningham, who filled in for Cannon after Isaiah Wynn went down in that Week 2 game, is still on the roster. The 25-year-old was acquired by the Patriots in a trade before the final preseason game last year. He only played in five percent off the offensive snaps last season, but Cunningham did start six games for the Cardinals in 2018.
Justin Herron
Herron was a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft after spending six years at Wake Forest. His final year, as a graduate student, Herron earned Third-Team All-ACC honors and appeared in the Senior Bowl. At this point, it feels like it would be a longshot for Herron to be named the starter, but stranger things have happened.
Joe Thuney
Thuney’s offseason has included a franchise tag and a lot of speculation about where he’d play this upcoming year. Now, he’s locked into New England for the year, and while he’s been a great guard, he has the versatility to move elsewhere.
Over the past two offseasons, Thuney has taken a lot of reps at both tackle and guard, the former he played a bit in college. It wouldn’t be ideal to move Thuney from his normal spot, but it may be just what the Patriots have to do.
Free Agents
At this point in the offseason, there aren’t typically many quality free agents available. However, this isn’t an ordinary year. While there aren’t star tackles on the market, there are serviceable veterans including the previously-mentioned Newhouse, Demar Dotson, Jordan Mills, and old friend LaAdrian Waddle.
Any of these guys could fill in and help out on the right side.
