Hope has yet to be snuffed out for the New England Patriots, despite being 1-3 in the season and rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe potentially making his first NFL start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
As long as that hope exists, the Patriots should remain hitched to the Isaiah Wynn bandwagon. But the moment it ceases, it’s time to ride on the expressway with Marcus Cannon and send their former first-round draft pick packing elsewhere.
Wynn hasn’t lived up to expectations, and that is becoming increasingly apparent four games into the most important season of his NFL career. He’s playing in a contract year with hopes of landing a big extension with some team, even if it isn’t the Patriots.
And so far, he’s struggled in pass protection and run blocking. That goes without mentioning the penalty blunders and constantly being plagued with injuries.
Things have been tough for Wynn, who gave up two sacks, one quarterback hit and two penalties in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers.
Most penalties committed by Patriots players this season (including those that were declined):
1. Isaiah Wynn, 6
2. 14 players tied with 1— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) October 6, 2022
The Patriots are going to have to make a tough decision before the trade deadline. They’ll never get the same value back for the No. 23 overall pick they spent at the 2018 NFL draft. That pick is gone and done for at this point.
Wynn will garner plenty of interest on the free agent market for sure, but teams aren’t going to wager a premium draft pick for him, especially when they know he’s playing on an expiring contract.
So much is riding on the Lions game.
A loss for the Patriots wouldn’t completely kill their chances of making a run, but it would cast a light on what would likely be a bleak season for the team. That should prompt coach Bill Belichick to prioritize long-term thinking, such as moving Wynn for whatever he can get.
But a win could shift considerations with the team likely holding on to him at least a little while longer. Keep in mind, Yodny Cajuste is currently on injured reserve as well.
The next six games on the Patriots’ schedule are all winnable, but they aren’t exactly sure when they’ll have their starting quarterback, Mac Jones, back in the lineup. And backup Brian Hoyer was placed on injured reserve with a concussion on Thursday. Even with a winnable slate of games, they face an uphill battle with a rookie quarterback possibly starting under center.
There’s nothing wrong with conceding that things didn’t work out the way the Patriots had hoped with Wynn. But it would be a mistake to just let him walk out the door for nothing.
Depending on what happens on Sunday and considering Wynn’s injury history, the Patriots might be better off making a move sooner rather than later.
