Bill Belichick Reveals Status of Patriots' Montgomery, Wynn
FOXBORO — As the New England Patriots make their way to South Florida for Sunday’s season opener against the Miami Dolphins, they may have the services of two key offensive contributors at their disposal.
Just days after placing wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve, offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn and running back Ty Montgomery are apparently making the trip to Miami, per head coach Bill Belichick.
During his weekly guest shot on WEEI’s ‘The Greg Hill Show,’ Belichick gave a rather encouraging outlook of his team’s health, noting that each member of the roster [save for Thornton] should be in a position to play on Sunday.
“I expect everybody that can be ready to go will be ready to go,” Belichick said. “I know everybody’s working really hard to be a hundred percent healthy and to be ready for the game. Players, coaches, staff, everybody, so, we’ll see how that develops, what kind of condition [the players] are in. I don’t know if they’ll be able to play, but they’re working hard to be there … We’ll just have to take it day-by-day on everybody and see where they’re at.”
Shortly after his appearance, Belichick confirmed both Wynn and Montgomery to be among those with a chance to suit up against the Dolphins, while speaking with reporters via video conference.
Wynn must work to stay healthy, as well as on the field. The 26-year-old was absent for much of the latter parts of training camp and preseason, while dealing with an undisclosed ailment. He did not participate in New England’s final open practice, leading some to question his status for Week 1.
In addition to his health, Wynn must also address some of the on-field struggles which caused him some difficulty down the stretch in 2021. At times, he had problems with his initial push out of his stance. He also surrendered his edge a bit more often. Normally an aggressive pass protector, Wynn was a bit slower when positioning himself on schemed pressures. While he is more than capable of righting the ship. However, he must return to his ‘strike first’ approach to protecting the run, as well as stopping pass rushers before they hit their stride.
Wynn has also been taking reps at a new position since minicamp — switching to right tackle, with Trent Brown apparently assuming the duties at left tackle. With Wynn absent, reserve lineman Yodny Cajuste has performed well in his stead. Additionally, right guard Michael Onwenu also has starting experience at right tackle. Should Wynn be unable to play against Miami, Onwenu, Cajuste and reserve Justin Herron could all be candidates to take snaps at right tackle.
Montgomery suffered an ankle injury in the preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders. Originally thought to have been a long-term injury, Montgomery’s prognosis has dramatically increased within the past few days.
Much like Wynn, Montgomery’s success with the team in 2022 will be determined by his play on the field. He is coming off a statistically underwhelming season in 2021. The 29-year-old averaged 2.9 yards per carry on 15 rushes and caught 16 passes for 95 yards and zero touchdowns for the Saints. Still, the Patriots have high hopes for him as a solid contributor as a reserve option on offense. Montgomery has emerged as a dual threat as both a runner and a receiver.. His special teams acumen has also helped his case, as he took 48% of the Saints’ snaps a year ago, both as a kick returner and on coverage teams.
As such, he appears to be settling into an offensive option on third-down, as well as a backfield receiver. Therefore, when healthy, he will be New England’s primary pass-catching back and third Z-receiver option [off the line of scrimmage] along with fellow wideouts Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne. Given his prowess as a kick returner, he is expected to be in the mix for that role, as well.
While the possibility that either Wynn or Montgomery (or both) is unable to play on Sunday does exist, their traveling with the team clearly provides some much-needed optimism heading into Week 1.
The Patriots and Dolphins are set for a showdown on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. ET. The first injury report of the week will be released on Wednesday afternoon.
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