A healthy Wynn raring to go

Isaiah Wynn can’t wait to show how much he’s improved.

The soft-spoken 23-year-old admittedly has had a tough start to his NFL career. Selected 23rd overall in 2018, he had to deal with multiple injuries just to play his first NFL game. After starting eight contests last year, Wynn enters his third season healthy. He hopes that translates to his play on the field.

"I don’t want to speak too much on it because I would rather show it on the field," Wynn [...]

Isaiah Wynn can’t wait to show how much he’s improved.

The soft-spoken 23-year-old admittedly has had a tough start to his NFL career. Selected 23rd overall in 2018, he had to deal with multiple injuries just to play his first NFL game. After starting eight contests last year, Wynn enters his third season healthy. He hopes that translates to his play on the field.

"I don’t want to speak too much on it because I would rather show it on the field," Wynn said on Monday. "I’ve been working on my consistency in all aspects. That’s one thing that will be a lot different this year — consistency in all aspects of my game."

It’s hard to get consistency when you’re not playing. For Wynn, that’s been the big battle.

As a rookie, Wynn was competing with Trent Brown for the Patriots left tackle job when he suffered a torn Achilles in his first preseason game. It was a tough blow for the Patriots first draft pick of 2018.

Last year, he won the starting left tackle job out of training camp. Unfortunately, a turf toe injury suffered in Week 2 sent him on the short-term injured reserve. Wynn returned in Week 11 and finished the season as the Patriots starting left tackle.

He said he learned a lot about the game and himself when he finally got to play.

"You learn every game," Wynn said. "Especially for me, being out there, actually being out there during those games, I got a feel for what it’s like being in the game. It’s been good. Now, it’s translated to this season so I’m feeling good about it."

Wynn enters 2020 with plenty to prove. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 for your prototypical tackle, but he remains one of the Patriots most promising players under the age of 25. After right tackle Marcus Cannon opted out of the season, he remains the Patriots best tackle. They’ll need him to step up, stay healthy and play well.

As far as his health goes, Wynn said he’s excited because he feels great. That’s led him to an offseason where he doesn’t have to focus on rehabilitation. That means this is his first NFL offseason where his primary focus will be getting better on the field. He hopes that will translate to the game when the season starts.

"It’s been real good," Wynn said. "This offseason I got the chance just to be able to work on the small things. As far as just strengthening my body as opposed to having to rehab anything given this is kind of my first official offseason that was healthy. I feel great."

"Just (working on) the small things as far as getting stronger, technique and breaking down film, breaking down opponents. All that stuff. Sometimes it can get overlooked by the bigger picture but when it all boils down to it, the little things are really what matters."

mdaniels@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @MarkDanielsPJ