In 2017 Nate Solder was in the last year of his contract and with the franchise tag hovering around 15 million, it was unlikely they were going to use it on him and the open market would dictate his price. Being not just the top left tackle on the market, but the only viable starter for teams flush with cap space and an angry fan base, the writing was on the wall Solder was taking his final snaps in a Patriots uniform. The front office and Bill Belichick foresaw this and entered the 2017 draft with the same mindset they did in the 2011 draft- find their next left tackle.
Matt Light announced 2011 was going to be the last season of his career and the team planned accordingly. They took the towering Solder in the first round of the 2011 draft, essentially grooming him to take over for Light after he retired. It was the smart move and worked out well for the team. Solder stepped in and played very well in his 6 years in New England. And that plan was put in place when the team selected Antonio Garcia in the third round out of Troy University.
Garcia was roughly the same size as Solder at 6’7 and 300 pounds. They were no doubt going to add weight to his frame as he had room to grow. His combine numbers were better than Solders, with his arms only an inch shorter but his 20 yard shuttle, 10 yard split, and bench press were all far superior to Solder. With a year to get bigger, learn the offense, and get coached up by Scarnecchia, the team looked poised to have their left tackle of the future. Until he was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs in early September and was placed on the Non-Football Injury list to recover from his illness.
In that time he lost upwards of 30 pounds and was ultimately released from the team. Their intentions were good, the plan was laid out, and the future seemed bright. A team that had only had 3 left tackles since 1987 was left with their pants around their ankles and had to scramble to fix their problem.
Solder went to the Giants in free agency, Cameron Fleming, their reserve tackle, signed with the Cowboys, and the only tackle not named Cannon on the roster was LaAdrain Waddle- a good backup but not someone you want starting. The team traded the 95th pick to the 49ers for Trent Brown who proved to be a very good tackle here. The team knew this, too, and, knowing Brown was likely going elsewhere after the season, used a first round pick of their next tackle of the future, Isiah Wynn.
The pick traded was the 95th pick, and players selected after that pick but before the Patriots were on the clock were Antonio Callaway, De’Shawn Hand, and promising player Maurice Hurst. Hand or Hurst could have helped lessen the impact of Flowers’ departure to Detroit, and while unlikely they take a receiver in the third round, Callaway would have been an option for the team.
Meanwhile, having to use the 23rd pick on Wynn, the Patriots missed out on Calvin Ridley, Courtland Sutton, Josh Jackson, Breeland Speaks, and Dallas Goedert, amongst others. Again, it is unlikely they use a first or second round pick on a receiver, but seeing as they project their depth chart years in advance, it wouldn’t have surprised me if they took one of the aforementioned guys.
Fast forward to today and the receiving core consists of Julian Edelman (very good), maybe Josh Gordon (very good if he plays), Phillip Dorsett (OK), Braxton Berrios (who knows), and a slew of minimum wage free agents and the least talent they’ve had at the position since 2006.
I really like Wynn and think he’s going to be a very good tackle despite his lack of height. His long arms, great technique, and nasty demeanor all lead me to believe (hope) they hit a home run with the pick and he will protect the blindside of Tom for years to come. But it does make me wonder what the complexion of this team would look like had Garcia not gotten sick and two picks wouldn’t have been traded or used on a position they thought they had locked up.
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