NFL Notebook: After loss of Solder, LG Joe Thuney becomes even more important to Patriots' offensive line

In this week’s notebook, we look at what could be a tremendous opportunity on the horizon for Cyrus Jones, Adrian Clayborn’s already interesting history with New England, and why the 2018 Patriots could pull off something professional football hasn’t seen since 1926. But first, a look at what is shaping up to be a key season for one of the members of New England’s offensive line.


1. The departure of left tackle Nate Solder in free agency means a lot of things. While there’s uncertainty at that position going forward for the Patriots, one thing to look for in 2018 is the emergence of left guard Joe Thuney as even more of a leader and a presence along the offensive line. It reminded me a bit of the transition the team underwent when Matt Light left following the 2011 season and the Patriots relied on veteran left guard Logan Mankins to help tutor Solder, who was going into his second year in the NFL at that point. Mankins was a guy who could paper over a lot of deficiencies along the offensive line, as well as serve as something of a mentor and leader for the younger guys at that point. Mankins was further along at that point of his career than Thuney is now, but count on Thuney — who is coming off a very good year — to help keep the left side of the line stable, regardless of who ends up playing to his left in 2018.

2. One of the more underrated aspects of the loss of Danny Amendola and Dion Lewis is the fact that it goes beyond offense. Amendola was the punt returner last season, while Lewis was the kick returner for the last couple of years. So who do the Patriots have in house who could fill either role in 2018? Julian Edelman had been the primary punt returner and could slide neatly back into the role when he returns from last year’s knee injury, but you have to imagine Edelman’s importance to the offense could force New England to look elsewhere. If the Patriots don’t pick up anyone else who might work as a returner, the guy who could be in line for an extended audition on both counts is Cyrus Jones. The youngster, who has struggled since he arrived prior to the start of the 2016 season, was third on the team in punt returns (11 chances, 46 yards) as a rookie and tops on the team in kick returns (eight returns, 180 yards) that same year. It’ll be one of the positions that will bear watching in offseason work this spring, but a good offseason from Jones coule go a long way toward determining what the team will do this fall. (For what it’s worth newcomer Jeremy Hill hasn’t worked as a returner in his four years at the NFL level.) One other name to keep an eye on: Riley McCarron, who finished the season on the practice squad. The Wes Welker clone returned both punts and kickoffs at Iowa.



3. Even though he was a member of the Bucs at the time, new Patriots defensive end Adrian Clayborn played a central role in the most eventful day of New England’s 2013 training camp. The first week of August in joint practices with the Bucs in Foxborough, Clayborn was part of a Tampa Bay defense that was tasked with slowing Tom Brady, and on a play near the end of practice, Clayborn bull-rushed Solder into the side of Brady's left leg as Brady was throwing. All three players collapsed to the turf, and the crowd literally gasped. After the play, Brady was on the ground, rocking back and forth while holding his knee. He was able to get up and walk off the field under his own power, but left for the day after a few more plays. Clayborn was asked after practice about the play, and said “I got a short stick from the tackle, and I bull rushed him, and he fell down," Clayborn said. (Clayborn also got more than his share of grief from New England fans on social media after it happened.) Shortly after practice ended, a helicopter landed on the field, and there was a stir — Was Brady being evacuated to a hospital? Was a doctor being choppered in for a closer look? Turned out, it was simply a (presumably) wealthy pal of the Kraft family. Deep breath, order restored. But it certainly made an otherwise forgettable afternoon interesting.

4. One thing we picked up when doing a little more research on Clayborn and what he brings to the field was the fact that he has dealt with Erb’s Palsy since birth, a condition that impacts the strength in his arms and is even known to cause sporadic paralysis in the arms. Apparently, it’s one reason why he can’t play on the left side of the defensive formation -- his arm strength is disproportionate. Clayborn has said it’s never impacted his performance, and it remains a tribute to him that he hasn’t let it hold him back from reaching the NFL. “People told me I'd never play football. I kept going,” Clayborn said in an interview shortly after he was taken by Tampa in the first round of the 2011 draft. “Whatever you dream, don't let anyone take it from you." Below is video of him explaining Erb's Palsy and how he's dealt with it.



5. Per a Patriots’ spokesman, if Devin and Jason McCourty suit up for the Patriots in the 2018 regular season, they will be the first set of identical twins to play for the same professional football team in a regular-season game since Gene Golsen and Tom Golsen of the 1926 Louisville Colonels. (Between Devin and Jason McCourty and Jacob and Cody Hollister, the Patriots now actually have two sets of identical twins on the roster, but the Hollister twins didn’t play in a regular-season game together this past year.) For what it’s worth, a lot of brothers have played pro football.

6. Here’s this week’s Pro Day schedule. From a Patriots’ perspective, I’d expect interest when it comes to Toledo (quarterback Logan Woodside), Penn State, Boston College (Dante Scarnecchia has been a frequent visitor there in the past), Georgia, Notre Dame, Stanford, Kent State, Michigan and Michigan State.

Monday: Bowling Green, Delaware, Fresno State, N.C. State, Syracuse, Temple, Tennessee, Toledo.
Tuesday: Cal, Central Connecticut State, Florida State, Hawaii, Penn State, South Carolina, UTEP.
Wednesday: Boston College, Cincinnati, UConn, Georgia, Pitt, USC.
Thursday: UMass, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, San Diego State, Stanford.
Friday: Kent State, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Villanova, Wyoming.

7. One guy who has been a huge winner this offseason? Jeff Christensen, the quarterback guru who has worked as a throwing coach for Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins. Garoppolo landed his colossal deal with the Niners this offseason, one that included a massive $28 million roster bonus from San Francisco this past week. And Cousins signed one of the most lucrative deals in NFL history (at least when it comes to guaranteed money) with the Vikings, a three-year, $84 million deal that’s fully guaranteed. Christensen has counted both of them as clients for several years through the Throw It Deep Quarterback & Receiver Training Academy outside Chicago.

8. As of Saturday evening, here’s a quick look at some of the most notable available free agents at each position:

Quarterback: Jay Cutler, Geno Smith
Running back: DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore
Wide receiver: Terrelle Pryor, Jeremy Maclin, Eric Decker, Mike Wallace
Tight end: Eric Ebron, Martellus Bennett
Offensive line: LaAdrian Waddle, Cam Fleming, Mike Pouncey, Jack Mewhort
Edge defenders: Junior Galette, Connor Barwin
Defensive linemen: Ndamukong Suh
Linebacker: Jonathan Casillas, Brian Cushing, Navorro Bowman
Cornerback: E.J. Gaines, Bashaud Breeland, Delvin Breaux, Byron Maxwell
Safety: Kenny Vaccaro, Eric Reid, Mike Mitchell

9. Over the last few weeks, we’ve spotlighted multiple ex-Patriots who have moved into coaching, a group that’s included Terrence Knighton and Hank Poteat. This week, it’s Tiquan Underwood, who was named the wide receivers coach at Lafayette this past week. The immensely popular Underwood had a cup of coffee with New England in 2011, but also played for the Jaguars, Bucs and Panthers, as well as three years in the CFL. It’s the first coaching gig for the Rutgers product. “Throughout his career, Tiquan established a reputation for being one of the hardest workers on the team who possessed an insatiable desire to improve,” said Lafayette coach John Garrett. “He is equipped to teach NFL-level techniques to our receivers and will be a tremendous role model for our student-athletes. We welcome his wife Samantha and his two daughters to the Lafayette community and to our football family.”

10. Because it’s never too early to start thinking about the future, here are the Patriots who have one more year left on their deal — right now, these are next year’s free agents: Ryan Allen, Brandon Bolden, Kenny Britt, Joe Cardona, Brandin Cooks, James Develin, Trey Flowers, Mike Gillislee, Chris Hogan, Jonathan Jones (restricted), Shaq Mason, Shea McClellin, Jordan Richards, and Eric Rowe. Things can obviously going to change between now and next offseason, but I imagine the priorities are going to be Cooks, Flowers, Hogan and Mason.