Offensive tackle

Barring any injuries, the Patriots’ offensive line still has the potential to be one the better units in the league. David Andrews is returning, Isaiah Wynn appears to be healthy and they even managed to retain Joe Thuney for another season. The issue comes with depth and Marcus Cannon’s decision to opt-out this season.

Cannon’s absence will leave a huge hole on the right side at offensive tackle and it’ll be crucial to find the right candidate as his replacement. The Patriots already have uncertainty with their quarterback position and the running backs will need a strong foundation ahead of them.

The two options that seem most logical to replace him are 2019 third-round pick Yodney Cajuste and third-year tackle Korey Cunningham. Cajuste, if healthy, seems to be the obvious choice because of his knowledge of the system and potential long-term possibility. Cunningham only suited up twice last season with the Patriots and was traded for a sixth-round pick.

Training camp will give them both opportunities, but the real issue lies in the depth behind the starting group.

Fullback

Josh McDaniels hasn’t had to worry about depth or skill at the fullback position since James Develin came on strong in 2013. New England played consistently with Develin on the field and he played phenomenally in five consecutive seasons. That ended after two games in 2019 when Develin went down for the season with a neck injury — eventually leading to his retirement.

The Patriots were aware of this early and signed Danny Vitale, who could’ve been the perfect successor. Well, Vitale opted-out as well and left the Patriots with Jakob Johnson and Dalton Keene as the next-best options.

Johnson was placed with the Patriots last year as a rookie through the NFL’s International Pathway Program. He played four games last season and was decent, but went down with a season-ending injury. Keene is the rookie tight end who played H-back at Virginia Tech and is well-known for being a tenacious blocker.

New England has two decent options at the position, but Keene will also take snaps at tight end and Johnson has yet to fully prove himself.