The New England Patriots are the NFL's version of the "cool kids" in high school — They say whatever they want, everyone in school wants to be just like them, and somehow they always manage to come out on top.
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The Patriots fell short of their sixth Super Bowl title last year, and the Philadelphia Eagles haven't let them forget it. Reloading for another shot at the NFL's crown started with solidifying the offense line that protects the franchise's most valuable asset. On Friday, the Patriots found out that they need to go find some more help.
Isaiah Wynn, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was competing with Trent Brown and Marcus Cannon for playing time at both left and right tackle for the Patriots this season.
Offensive linemen are one of the most important areas of concern for a team with a 41-year-old Hall of Famer slinging passes behind it.
After Thursday night, it looks like Tom Brady will have one less protector in 2018.
Wynn suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the Patriots' 37-20 preseason game win over the Eagles, and he's officially been ruled out for the rest of the season.
As a member of the Georgia Bulldogs, Wynn started 41 games in Athens, and was one of Georgia's team captains during their run to the College Football Playoff national championship last season.
The 21-year-old was named first-team All-SEC a season ago.
The offensive tackle position is one of the hardest to play in professional football, with edge rushers and blitz schemes being crafted to combat the wide-open passing game of today's NFL.
Losing any offensive tackle at this point in the preseason, especially one with Wynn's first-round potential, is a hard pill to swallow.
The Patriots will likely turn to the free agent pool to replace their first-round pick, but the market on offensive tackles is low.
If anyone can overcome a blow like this, it's the mad scientist head coach Bill Belichick.
