The New England Patriots are making a big-time move to bolster their offensive line this offseason. Early on Tuesday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported the franchise is expected to trade for Las Vegas Raiders star offensive tackle Trent Brown.
Later on in the day, Brown seemed to confirm the move. The sixth-year NFL pro took to Instagram to express his excitement with the deal.
“I LOVE IT HERE @patriots,” Brown captioned his post.
Trent Brown weighs in on the trade. Translation: He’s happy. https://t.co/BBKHUu5IGd pic.twitter.com/HNCbn4fDRU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2021
Brown already has some experience in New England. In 2018, the 6-foot-8, 380 lbs lineman started every game at left tackle for Bill Belichick’s Patriots squad en route to a Super Bowl victory. While he only spent one year with the team, he clearly enjoyed his time there.
After his one season with the Patriots, Brown was traded to the then Oakland Raiders in 2019. During his debut season in silver and black, the former Florida Gator had a notable impact — earning his first Pro Bowl selection through just 11 games.
Despite his seeming rise to stardom, Brown’s two-year Raiders career was marred with injuries. From 2019-20, the versatile tackle missed 16 games with nagging knee issues, COVID-19 and a scary pre-game IV incident that led to his hospitalization.
After signing Brown to a four-year, $66 million deal back in 2019, the Las Vegas will now move on from the pocket protector earlier than expected. According to Rapoport, this Raider-Patriots deal has been in the works for weeks now. To avoid getting released, Brown reportedly agreed to rework the two years and $29.5 million remaining on his existing contract. His deal is now listed as a one-year, $11 million agreement — making him a free agent after the 2021 season.
In addition to Brown, a couple of draft picks were included in the trade. The Raiders will receive a 2022 fifth-round pick in exchange for Brown and a 2022 seventh-round selection.
At just 27 years old, the Patriots may have just gotten a steal in Brown. If he can return to his peak 2018 form, New England will get a huge boost to its O-line.
The post Look: Trent Brown Reacts To Getting Traded To The Patriots appeared first on The Spun.
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