The New England Patriots have reportedly retained a veteran reserve tackle, which they hope can furnish some much-needed depth to their beleaguered offensive line.
The Patriots, per a Thursday afternoon document from MassLive, are picking up the one-of-a-kind rights free agent option of offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. Accirdingly, Wheatley will return to New England for the upcoming season.
Wheatley was traded to the Patriots from the Cleveland Browns simply prior to last roster cuts remaining August in exchange for strolling again Pierre Strong Jr. The 27-year-old performed in the first two video games of the season on unique teams. He used to be placed on injured reserve (IR) in mid-October with a knee injury. His 21-day window to return from IR used to be opened on Dec. 13 but used to be not activated earlier than the season’s end.
The 6-6, 320-pound lineman firstly joined the NFL as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan in 2020; signing as a free agent with the Chicago Bears. The son of former NFL running returned Tyrone Wheatley Sr, spent two seasons on the Bears practice squad before joining the scout groups of the squads of the Las Vegas Raiders and Browns, respectively.
Wheatley’s return to New England will permit him to reunite with former Browns offensive teach Alex Van Pelt, who lately generic the Pats offensive coordinator role underneath first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. Both Van Pelt and new offenisveoffensive line train Scott Peters, will surely seem to be to recapture some of the prowess Wheatley commenced to exhibit prior to his trade to the Pats final summer.
Despite having but to appear in an NFL game, Wheatley’s education camp and preseason output advised that he was expected to play a considerable function with the Browns prior to Sunday’s trade. Throughout his two preseason appearances, he surrendered just three pressures, one hit and two hurries in 66 pass blocking snaps. Still, Wheatley ought to be regarded extra as a pupil, than trained in this area. Some inconsistencies with his posture have led to flawed positioning. As such, he is probably to remain an on-going project.
Wheatley’s greater immediately contributions to the club will most possibly come as a run blocker. With the capacity to become aware of the positioning of both protecting linemen and linebackers at the snap point, he can use his size and foot velocity to effectively wall-off an opposing defender.
Having two-or-fewer gathered seasons, alongside with an expiring contract, Wheatley was set to end up an different rights free agent at the begin of the NFL yr on March thirteen
Earlier in the day, impending free-agent cornerback Alex Austin introduced via social media that he would be returning to the Patriots for the upcoming season.
