Patriots Rookie Projections: Marcus Cannon

by Greg Knopping on May 15, 2011 11:00 AM EDT in New England Patriots NFL Draft

The sixth in a series looking at the Patriots' 2011 NFL Draft picks, and the roles they might play for the Patriots next year.

Name: Marcus Cannon

School: TCU

Position: Offensive Guard / Tackle

Drafted: 5th round, 138th Overall

Projected Stats: 0 Games Played

Projected Role: When the Patriots selected mammoth offensive lineman Marcus Cannon of TCU in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, it was likely with the future in mind. As you have probably heard by now, Cannon was a first or second round talent that slipped all the way to the fifth round because of health concerns; he was recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. While the condition is treatable and the chemotherapy should be finished in a couple of months, it is really hard to know if Cannon will be able to play this season. He will most likely start the year on PUP, and I do not want to project him into any kind of a role too soon. There is a chance that Cannon can be a starter for this team in 2011, however, playing it safe, I think it would be easier to project Cannon as a contributor in 2012.

Bottom Line: Recover and learn in 2011, starting right guard in 2012

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Maybe not this year

but I really thought Cannon was a steal for you guys assuming his health checks out. He just dominated people at TCU, even elite competition like J.J. Watt.

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by John B on May 15, 2011 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

If he comes back from the Chemo, he could be solid.

Chemo can really drag you down, though. At minimum, I think he’s on PUP to start.

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by SlotMachinePlayer on May 15, 2011 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Too bad

this isn’t ready yet. Damn you FDA! :P

If knowledge is power and power corrupts...

by satsunada on May 16, 2011 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed!

But i’d really like some NZT for myself.

Miami Heat~ 2010/2011 NBA Champions!!!
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.

by PatNation85 on May 16, 2011 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions

I get radio wave therapy all the time, I guess.

by SlotMachinePlayer on May 16, 2011 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

NHL

Saku Koivu was diagnosed with NHL back in the day when he was with the Montreal Canadiens, took him about a year, but when he came back, he was the best player on his team again. Didn’t lose a step at all.

by dreynoldsPATS on May 16, 2011 1:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Helpful note, when you're taking about an NHL player

Try not to shorten Non Hodgkins Lymphoma to it’s acronym. It gets confusing and makes it sound like hockey is an affliction. :P

If knowledge is power and power corrupts...

by satsunada on May 16, 2011 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Hockey is an affliction.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by insertscreenname on May 16, 2011 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

That would be confusing haha.

by dreynoldsPATS on May 20, 2011 2:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

But do you have nanometals in your bloodstream?

Prolly not. Independent of one another, they do nothing. If you have both, it burns cancer cells away without the need for chemo or surgery. It’s already been shown to help, if not cure, pancreatic cancer in mice. All the mice lived that were exposed to the therapy. In just lab samples, it’s burned/destroyed liver, breast, skin, pancreatic, and some lymphoma’s. It can also use your bloodstream to track down and destroy metastasized cells before they spread. It needs to hurry the hell up. Hopefully human trials start soon… this is an amazing breakthrough that could save millions of lives and create huge quality of life benefits considering it’s shown no signs of side effects thus far beyond funny colored urine.

If knowledge is power and power corrupts...

by satsunada on May 16, 2011 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

If he can't go this season, our O-line may be in serious trouble with Mankins and Light in limbo. Not sure if Solder

is better at Light at this stage of his game.

Miami Heat~ 2010/2011 NBA Champions!!!
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.

by PatNation85 on May 15, 2011 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

He'll likely need a year to develop anyway.

5th round picks are rarely immediate starters.

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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on May 15, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Cannon is not a normal 5th rounder

He is a 1st or 2nd round talent. Only reason he lasted to the 5th was medical reasons . He prob won’t start due to that but not cause of talent .

by brady12mvp3 on May 15, 2011 2:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

similar to Brandon Tate?

in a sense that he was drafted with the knowledge that he probably (in Tate’s case definitely) wouldn’t play the year he was drafted?

know that luck favors the prepared. - SMP

by pats4life on May 15, 2011 3:35 PM EDT reply actions

I think It's silly that he fell all the way to the 5th

Due to an Injury that at most will cost him a year, and unlikely to re-occur.

by beantownboy171 on May 15, 2011 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

You never know with cancer. You have to just play it by ear. I found it wild that Tampa spent high picks on guys who have some major health issues. They believed in them. Obviously Bill believes in Marcus. And I think he’ll play this season.

by Patriots12 on May 15, 2011 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Practice Squad Losses

3 draft choices from last year were lost to practice squad claims. Rehabilatation from chemo may allow him to be retained. Markell Carter and Malcolm Williams are very much in the developmental category and may also be safe. This year, with the likely delay in training camp, veterans will be cut. Finding an OG or DE to fill in for a year may be easier than usual as weak teams will want to give their draft choices a chance. Marcus is reportedly exceptionally strong and of great character; providing patient encouragement is very important.

by WRMaurer on May 15, 2011 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

Not sure Carter can be afford to be cut and put to the PS.

GB wanted him too and I would expect them to claim him off waivers.

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by NinjaZX6R on May 15, 2011 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

If he's healthy, he'll be on the roster. If he's not, he'll be on PUP. If he is a scratch for the year, IR.

They won’t even have to conjure the Foxboro Flu – cancer really is a pretty good reason to be on IR, if that’s where he ends up. They won’t put him on the Practice Squad – he’s either healthy, or he’s not. Hopefully he is.

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by Comedic.Sans on May 16, 2011 4:43 AM EDT up reply actions

He'd never make it to the PS anyway.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by insertscreenname on May 16, 2011 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Personally...

I think Cannon in the 5th, could be the steal of the decade. Yes, you heard me right, steal of the decade. I’m pretty sure he won’t suffice as an elite left tackle, but he could be a lockdown right tackle, and even a more dangerous guard. He’s mobile enough to be a pulling guard, and I really shudder to think what a 360 pound pulling guard can do to your linebacker or sub-320 defensive tackle. If he goes to practice squad, he won’t be there an hour. Best keep him on the PUP list, wait a few months to let him regain his health, and then put him in short-yardage situations. By season’s end, Tom Brady won’t be the only way the Patriots can move the ball down the field…they will have 3 running backs capable of following Cannon into the endzone.

by Dusty McGuire on May 15, 2011 10:05 PM EDT reply actions

Cannon as RT

Not happening. Cannon potentially be a lockdown RT, but Vollmer already IS a lockdown All-Pro RT. No need to move on from him already.

by dreynoldsPATS on May 16, 2011 2:00 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Yep.

His line coach at TCU said he’s an NFL guard. That makes him an NFL guard.

Nothing preventing him kicking out to Tackle in case of injury though. I guess he’d be more than useful out there.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by insertscreenname on May 16, 2011 2:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I do hope he's healthy.

However I feel like this pick makes a statement.

The fact that they didn’t take an interior offensive lineman after Solder all the way until the 5th… It tells me they’re resigning Mankins and have a lot of confidence in Connolly and possibly even Wendell or Ornberger.

by UtopianAverage on May 16, 2011 11:22 AM EDT reply actions

They are signing Mankins

The fact that they didn’t take an interior offensive lineman after Solder all the way until the 5th… It tells me they’re resigning Mankins

…only if Mankins agrees to sign. The tender is out there.

by pablum257 on May 17, 2011 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

No Cannon will not be on the practice squad

by WRMaurer on May 16, 2011 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

Could he be a Nick Kaczur for this team?

In the sense that he can cover mulitple positions but may never be a true starter.

by Always Sunny Next Year on May 16, 2011 3:55 PM EDT reply actions

He's going to start at Guard at some point, surely.

Has to be an upgrade over Connolly (if he returns fully healthy, that is), and could start on the left if Mankins leaves.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by insertscreenname on May 16, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Cannon will have

Tremendous size if/when he moves inside. This seems like an attitude pick. The Jets committed their draft to getting a lot of beef for the D Line. Pats were able to counter with size/power of their own in Solder, Cannon, Smith.

by heisthejuan on May 17, 2011 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

But Cannon may not be on the filed this season. And i have horrible visions of Wilkerson and Ellis destroying our O-Line.

I’m not sold at all on Solder standing up to that kind of pressure.

Miami Heat~ 2010/2011 NBA Champions!!!
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.

by PatNation85 on May 17, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions