Patriots’ Isaiah Wynn starts Wednesday practice at LT, one player absent

FOXBORO — The Patriots’ largest player had a smaller workload to start practice Wednesday.

Hulking left tackle Trent Brown stood to the side for initial warmups, while his fellow starting O-linemen hit the blocking sled. Isaiah Wynn drilled in his place at left tackle and bookended the offensive line with backup Yodny Cajuste. Brown later repped with the backups, but did so without a helmet.

It’s unclear if Brown is dealing with a new injury. The 6-foot-8, 380-pounder was present for Monday’s practice and is one of two Patriots to see every offensive snap this season along with right guard Mike Onwenu. Wynn was the team’s primary backup at left tackle during training camp, the last time practices were fully open to reporters.

Brown has overcome minor injuries this season, and credited a change in his offseason nutrition and conditioning program for helping him stay on the field.

“I did focus on lifting and diet more this offseason just so I could be more available and help me to play all 17 (games) and hopefully more,” Brown said earlier this month. “Then I also told myself I know my team needs me, but I’ve got to be out there for me, as well. I hate missing time because I know the type of impact I can have when I’m available.”

Without Brown, the Patriots’ offensive tackle depth would be troublingly thin. Wynn has already been benched for multiple games this season at his new position of right tackle, where Yodny Cajuste started in the team’s last game against the Colts. Veteran right tackle Marcus Cannon, Wynn’s original replacement, recently went on injured reserve with a concussion. He allowed five pressures in his last game, a 5-point win at the Jets on Oct. 30.

The Patriots will release their first injury report of the week Wednesday evening.

Rookie linebacker DaMarcus Mitchell was the only player missing at practice.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/uwzjPxo