After an offseason of issues trying to find tackle depth and in the wake of this week’s news that center David Andrews might not be able to play this season, the New England Patriots traded for two offensive linemen Wednesday, getting tackle Korey Cunningham from the Arizona Cardinals and guard Jermaine Eluemunor from the Baltimore Ravens.
Cunningham, a 6-foot-6, 311-pound tackle, announced the trade on his Instagram page. According to ESPN, the Patriots sent a sixth-round pick to Arizona.
This is Cunningham’s second season in the NFL. The 2018 seventh rounder started six games at left tackle last season, filling in for starter D.J. Humphries.
His acquisition more than likely means Cunningham will start the season as the Patriots’ top backup tackle. They’ve had a tough time with their tackle depth this offseason. After losing Trent Brown in free agency, the Patriots added veteran Jared Veldheer, but he quickly retired. The team also drafted tackle Yodny Cajuste in the third round, but offseason quad surgery has kept him on the nonfootball injury list.
Isaiah Wynn is expected to start at left tackle, and Marcus Cannon is the right tackle. Dan Skipper and Cole Croston have been vying for the top backup spot.
The Patriots gave up an undisclosed draft pick for Eluemunor, a 2017 fifth-round pick entering his third season.
Eluemunor was a potential starter at left guard for the Ravens. He played in 17 games, including three starts, the previous two seasons.
Eluemunor initially failed his team conditioning test this offseason. At the end of mandatory minicamp in June, Ravens Coach John Harbaugh warned Eluemunor he had to work on his conditioning.
He missed two practices last week, as well as a preseason game against the Eagles, but returned to practice Sunday.
TEXANS: The Houston Texans signed outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett to a one-year, $3.75 million contract extension.
Scarlett, who is entering his fourth NFL season, is the backup to Jadeveon Clowney, who has yet to sign his franchise tender.
BROWNS: Kareem Hunt will have to spend his NFL suspension isolated from his team.
The suspended Browns running back, who must serve an eight-game ban for physical altercations, will not be permitted inside the team’s facility starting at 4 p.m. Saturday, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to The Associated Press.
The team had asked Commissioner Roger Goodell to allow Hunt to be around his teammates, arguing he could use the extra support. But to this point, Hunt will not be able to interact with his teammates or staff inside the team’s building in Berea, Ohio, until his punishment ends in November.
BRONCOS: Tough-luck tight end Jake Butt said he’s opted to have arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee , a procedure scheduled for Thursday that he hopes will speed his return to the field.
Still, his 2019 season could be in jeopardy because so many Denver Broncos players are sidelined that GM John Elway and Coach Vic Fangio will have several tough decisions to make when paring the roster to 53 players this weekend.
Butt, a third-year pro, has only played in three NFL games, all of them last season before he tore his left ACL at practice in September. He missed his rookie season in 2017 after tearing his other ACL in his final game for Michigan. He also tore his right ACL during his sophomore season in Ann Arbor.
BILLS: The Buffalo Bills signed kicker Stephen Hauschka to a two-year contract extension.
Hauschka was entering the final season of the three-year contract he signed in free agency in 2017. And the new deal extends his contract through the 2021.
COWBOYS: Not only did owner Jerry Jones again reaffirm that there has been no movement in the contract negotiations with holdout running back Ezekiel Elliott, but he hinted very strongly that the team was prepared to start the season without the two-time NFL rushing champion.
Speaking on his radio show on KRLD-FM 105.3 the Fan, Jones said there is no deadline to get a deal done with Elliott even with Sept. 8 opener the New York Giants fast approaching.
49ERS: Running back Jerick McKinnon had another setback in his return from a knee injury.
General Manager John Lynch said McKinnon’s return to practice the previous day was “not encouraging.” Lynch says McKinnon’s recovery regressed for the third time this summer as he has tried to get back on the field.
McKinnon tore his right ACL a week before the start of last season. He had a flare-up right before the start of training camp and began on the physically unable to perform list. McKinnon was activated on Aug. 6 and went through two light practices before another setback sidelined him for three weeks.
McKinnon returned again Tuesday but had another setback.
COLTS-JETS: The Jets and Colts have agreed to a trade that sends Indianapolis cornerback Nate Hairston to New York for a sixth-round pick in next year’s NFL draft.
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