FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots top draft choice Isaiah Wynn tore his left Achilles during Thursday's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles and will miss the 2018 season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Wynn, an offensive tackle/guard out of the University of Georgia, had been working as the Patriots' backup left tackle. This past week, the club explored the possibility of playing him at right tackle, giving him some repetitions with the top unit.
The injury occurred in the first quarter of Thursday's game when Wynn was pass blocking and came up limping. After making it to the sideline, he was given an initial examination before being placed on the back of a cart and taken to the locker room.
The Patriots drafted Wynn with the 23rd pick to help fill the void at left tackle created with Nate Solder's free-agent departure to the New York Giants. In Bill Belichick's 19-year tenure as Patriots coach, the club has had notable stability at the position between Matt Light (2001-11) and Solder (2012-17), and Wynn had been working behind trade acquisition Trent Brown through the initial stretch of the preseason.
Brown -- who is listed at 6-foot-8 and 370 pounds, making him the biggest player in the NFL -- seemed to have a strong hold on the top spot. Wynn's injury now bumps six-year veteran LaAdrian Waddle into a more important role as the swing tackle behind Brown and starting right tackle Marcus Cannon.
Cannon has been out for most of the preseason with a muscle-related injury, but it isn't expected to keep him out for an extended period of time.
Matt Tobin, Ulrick John and Cole Croston round out the depth chart at offensive tackle.