First in our series looking ahead to the opening of Patriots training camp July 26.
It's time for the linemen to get to work. Sure, the Patriots had 10 voluntary practices in the spring and three more mandatory mini-camp sessions. But it's not until training camp arrives that the pads come on and the linemen actually get to hit someone.
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The left side of the line will be of particular interest once camp gets going because it will be the first time in almost two decades that the Patriots will go into camp with someone other than Matt Light or Nate Solder as their top tackle on Tom Brady's blind side.
Will it be Trent Brown, the behemoth blocker the Patriots acquired from San Francisco with a third-round pick on draft weekend? He saw the majority of the reps at on the left side with the first group of linemen at OTAs.
Will it be Isaiah Wynn, the first-round pick out of Georgia who looks like a guard but has the athleticism to man the edge? He worked at left guard during the spring because Joe Thuney was dealing with an injury.
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Whoever it is, Dante Scarnecchia will have his work cut out for him. It's only the health of the almost-41-year-old-quarterback, and hence the season, that's at stake.