Patriots lose top draft pick Wynn
The New England Patriots could be in some trouble at what is arguably their most important position aside from quarterback.
First-round offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn tore an Achilles in Thursday night’s game against Philadelphia, according to multiple reports, and will miss his rookie season.
He was a candidate to replace Nate Solder as 41-year-old Tom Brady’s guardian on the blind side.
Wynn’s injury likely cements Trent Brown — at 6-8 and 380 pounds, he’s the largest player in the NFL — as the left tackle, a position that’s essentially been manned by Solder and Matt Light for nearly all of Brady’s 17 seasons as a starter. Brown typically played on the right side for the San Francisco 49ers, who traded him to New England during this year’s draft.
Wynn, the 23rd overall pick, was a tackle at Georgia, though his 6-2, 310pound frame suggested he might project better at guard as a pro.
Still, the Patriots were looking at him at both tackle spots before his injury. Now, LaAdrian Waddle is likely to back up both Brown and right tackle Marcus Cannon.
Seahawks sign Walden: The Seahawks added veteran linebacker Erik Walden and terminated the contract of defensive end Marcus Smith.
Smith spent 2017 with Seattle and resigned with the team this off-season on a one-year deal. However, the former Philadelphia Eagles first-round pick had missed the last few days of practice due to a personal matter and the Seahawks released him so he could tend to those issues.
Walden, 32, is a 10-year veteran who spent last season with the Tennessee Titans and the previous four years with the Indianapolis Colts.
He had a career-high 11 sacks in 2016 before serving in a mostly rotational role last year with the Titans. He played for the Green Bay Packers from 2010-’12.
Raiders eye training camp in Reno: The Oakland Raiders are considering holding training camp in Reno when the team moves to Las Vegas before the 2020 season.
Team President Marc Badain toured potential training sites at the University of Nevada and two high schools.
He told reporters following the tour with Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and others that he is committed to making sure the training camp is in northern Nevada.
Badain said the decision will be based partly on where the team does its off-season training. He said the Raiders scouted three dozen sites before picking their current training camp site in Napa, Calif.
Schieve said she’ll do what she can to bring the Raiders to Reno but won’t support the use of local tax money to get it done.