The Patriots finally awoke from their free agent slumber. On Monday the team welcomed back offensive tackle Trent Brown on a two year deal.
Brown started 9 games for the Patriots last season. His return fills a big hole up front – literally and figuratively for the Patriots who had already lost two starting lineman from last season. Brown – who stands 6’8″ and weighs 380 pounds – is one of the best offensive tackles in football when fully healthy.
Brown will most likely slot back in at right tackle with 5th year pro Isaiah Wynn remaining on the left side. The Patriots have two starting guard positions to fill after trading Shaq Mason to Tampa Bay and losing Ted Karras to Cincinnati. Its expected third year guard Michael Onwenu will fill one of the vacant guard positions.
The Patriots used a familiar tactic, allowing Brown to test the market and return to the Patriots if he didn’t find what he was looking for. Brown visited Seattle before deciding remaining in New England was in his best interests.
“I would like to find a place that I could call home for the next eight years and just leave a legacy — a winning legacy — and kind of just plant roots somewhere,” Brown told The Schultz Report podcast. “My kids are getting older, so all the moving around and stuff, I want them to have some familiarity with places and people.
“I know it’s always a lot of moving parts in this business, but I want to get somewhere I can win and build a legacy — a lasting legacy.”
Health has been an issue for Brown which is perhaps why he had a difficult time finding a better deal elsewhere. Injuries forced Brown to miss 24 out of a possible 50 games over the past 3 seasons.
The Patriots acquired Brown last offseason in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. He had previously played in New England in 2018 coming over via a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Brown becomes just the fourth player ever to be traded to the same team twice.
The Patriots likely aren’t done adding pieces to their offensive line. They hosted Bills RFA Ryan Bates on Monday. The Patriots could also restock through the draft where they have been historically done well drafting offensive lineman particularly in the middle and late rounds.
