Trent Brown vs Isaiah Wynn Odds: Who Will Win Patriots’ Left Tackle Job?

• Sportsbooks are offering odds on the Patriots’ battle at left tackle
• Both Trent Brown (acquired via trade) and rookie Isaiah Wynn sit at -120
• Whoever wins will be just New England’s fourth left tackle since 2000

The New England Patriots have been a model of consistency at left tackle since Bill Belichick took the reins.

In 2000, Bruce Armstrong was the starter before retiring. Then Matt Light took over from 2001 to 2011. After that it was Nate Solder.

The Pats let Solder walk in the off-season, as the New York Giants scooped him up with a contract too rich for their blood. That left a gaping hole covering Tom Brady’s blindside.

Definitely not ideal.

So without an in-house solution, New England traded for Trent Brown and drafted Isaiah Wynn in the first round to battle for the job.

Wynn and Brown Neck-and-Neck for Left Tackle Job

The good news is that, according to sportsbooks, you’ve got a 50/50 chance of being right on this one. Outside of LaAdrian Waddle, there’s really no other option on the Pats’ roster. And whoever you choose? The odds are the same.

The bad news? There’s a reason it’s 50/50.

Brown has spent the majority of his NFL career on the right side, while Wynn is a first round pick. Wynn played left tackle at Georgia, but is fresh out of college. So the Pats are left with deciding between a rookie, and someone who has never played the position.

While performance will dictate who starts, the two candidates also couldn’t be more different physically.

The Patriots took a slower approach when they drafted Nate Solder 17th overall in 2011. He started on the right side before shifting over in his second season.

Trent Brown is 6’8” and 380 lbs with 36” arms. He’s been in the league for three years, playing in 32 games with 28 starts.

Isaiah Wynn is a generous 6’3”, 313 lbs with arms that are just 33 3/8”. What the rookie lacks in size though, he makes up for in athleticism and, the most un-measurable of measurables: nastiness.

https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/989697530488238080

But Wynn’s got to make it on the field, and as camp opened it was Brown running with the first team. And by all accounts, he’s doing just fine.

Trent Brown continues to dominate on one on one pass rushing drills. He tossed Deatrich Wise around.

— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 1, 2018

Brown leads left tackle race after first pre-season game

The Patriots’ first pre-season game did little to sidetrack Brown. If anything, it put Wynn farther behind in the race.

According to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, Brown started and played 22 snaps for the Patriots (31%). Wynn, despite dressing, didn’t come onto the field for a single snap.

He played less than tackles Waddle (22 snaps), Cole Croston (56), Matt Tobin (50), and Ulrick John (50).

Here are the Patriots' full snap counts from last night. 16 snaps for Edelman, 6 for Decker. A lot of work for Cord Patterson pic.twitter.com/qOyIrMJ3Vr

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 10, 2018

Wynn had been running exclusively with the second team during training camp, but was nowhere to be seen on Thursday night against the Redskins.

Pats sticking with Ulrick John and Matt Tobin as the tackles. No sign of rookie Isaiah Wynn.

— Kevin Duffy (@KevinRDuffy) August 10, 2018

No Isaiah Wynn on the second-team offensive line. Matt Tobin is playing left tackle. That's a change from what we saw in practice.

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 10, 2018

So that, coupled with a standout performance from Brown in his debut as a left tackle, doesn’t paint a pretty picture for Wynn.

Where the Money Leads Us…

At this point, laying money on Wynn isn’t the wisest thing.

The Patriots took a slower approach when they drafted Nate Solder 17th overall in 2011. He started on the right side before shifting over in his second season.

While Wynn has performed well in camp, Brown is proving that the Patriots don’t need to rush him.

While Wynn has performed well in camp, Brown is proving that the Patriots don’t need to rush him. He’s also coming off of a shoulder injury, which may have been a consideration in sitting him on Thursday.

Unless Brown gets hurt or Wynn really picks it up over the next three games, Trent Brown is looking like the Patriots’ starting left tackle.