Is Marcus Cannon Safe on New England Patriots’ Roster?

There seems to be a disconnect between the New England Patriots’ perceived needs and actual needs.

Prior to the 2016 NFL draft, the general consensus stood that the Patriots had holes to fill at running back and offensive tackle. One could argue that the perceived hole at tackle was not due to any concerns about the talent at the top of the depth chart, but rather at the depth behind them. 

Backup tackle Marcus Cannon struggled when called upon in 2016. The Patriots’ tackle depth was ripped to shreds by injury in 2015, when Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer and Cameron Fleming all missed time with injuries. Cannon was one of the first to step in as the team’s top backup, but he was beat like a drum, and with almost the same rhythmic consistency.

According to Pro Football Focus, Cannon ranked 44th out of 59 offensive tackles in pass-blocking efficiency, yielding 31 total pressures (19 hurries, eight hits, four sacks) on 365 snaps in pass protection (8.5 percent). 

Yet, given multiple opportunities to find an upgrade over Cannon on the open market, the Patriots have stood pat with their top backup. The depth chart looks almost exactly the same as it did last year, with a few minor additions and truncations.

The lack of notable newcomers lends to the illusion that Cannon is safe in his job title as …

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