The best signing of the New England Patriots to-date may not be who you think it is. It’s a player who plays on an unheralded but critically important unit.
That unit is the offensive line and that player is … Trent Brown. I can hear the criticisms toppling down for this opinion.
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New England’s splash in free agency was impressive at least for its aggressiveness. The jury is still out, of course, on how well it will work on the field. We’ll know that this fall.
Yet, if the Patriots intend to get back to RELEVANCE and hopefully dominance once again in the AFC EAST, the AFC, and the NFL in its entirety, free agency was a good sign.
Yet, an even better one was the trade for Brown.
For veteran New England Patriots fans, the Era of dominance under the Tom Brady Patriots was one of unequaled excellence. To say we were spoiled is a gross understatement.
Why the New England Patriots signing of Trent Brown is so important
That run was unprecedented. Too bad it didn’t last a few more years. It could have. Yet, Brown contributed mightily to that last New England Super Bowl win after the 2018 season.
And, unless your years take you back to the almost surreal era of Boston Celtics greatness championed by the unsurpassed Bill Russell, you’ve never seen anything like it before.
That era was punctuated by annual championships, even surpassing the excellence of the Patriots over their recent 20-year span. If the Celtics didn’t win a title every year, it was a disappointing historical aberration.
But, getting back to the Patriots, why is the trade for Trent Brown so important? Let’s center on three major aspects as to why his acquisition is so important.
First, Trent Brown if properly deployed is the anchor of the critical New England Patriots offensive line.
Trent Brown is a massive man. He makes other so-called massive men look small. So what? Well, if that man is also mobile and can play football in a complicated system, you have a sterling asset there.
An asset worth its weight in gold. And that’s what Brown is. As has been written in this space before, the most important aspect of any football team is its quarterback.
The next most vital is the offensive line. The offensive line protects that most important asset on the team. Check.
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Second, the offensive line opens holes for the running game without which, well, there ain’t no running game. Check.
Third, the offensive line’s pass and run blocking keeps the defense off the field and fresh. Check.
Trent Brown excels at all aspects of offensive line essentials. He is a great pass-blocker and he is also a tremendous run-blocker. Try fending off a fast pick-up truck coming at you on a football field.
In sum, he’s outstanding.
Second, Trent Brown cost almost nothing to acquire
The Patriots acquired Trent Brown for a song, it must have been, “Everything is Beautiful”.
So let’s get this straight, the Patriots sent out a 5th round pick, which they usually mess up anyway, and get back Brown and a 7th rounder, which they sometimes use to advantage. (Say hello to Julian Edelman.)
In addition, Brown agrees to take less money than he was receiving in Las Vegas by about $4 million in a one-year deal. What’s not to like about that? It’s a masterstroke from Bill Belichick.
The only complaint here that has been voiced previously is that it’s only for a one-year deal. New England should have learned its lesson when they sent Brown packing two years ago after he helped win a Super Bowl.
This was a short-sighted move by Bill Belichick then and only a one-year deal is also one now.
An extension should be on the table quickly after they see that he is committed to the team (read, in great playing shape).
Third, Trent Brown is the best choice to start at offensive left tackle.
The most important player on every NFL team is the quarterback. No revelation there. The next most important is the left tackle.
Now, the Patriots have a great talent at left tackle already, Isaiah Wynn. The problem is, Wynn can’t stay on the field. He missed his entire rookie season in 2018 due to injury.
He played only in 18 games the past two seasons out of 32. So he’s missed 34 out of 48 games (that’s 70%) in three years. Not good when you’re the second most important position player on the field.
Now don’t get me wrong, Wynn is a special player. His footwork is possibly unequaled anywhere in football. If healthy, he’s really good. But he’s not healthy and playing often enough.
In fairness, Brown for the Raiders also missed a slew of games. But in New England in 2018 he played in all 16 and the playoff games, as well. Let’s hope he repeats that in 2021.
In addition, Wynn is small, very small for an offensive lineman, nevermind for an offensive left tackle. Listed as 6’2″ and 310 pounds, he’s barely offensive center size.
Trent Brown on the other hand is probably the largest player in the league never mind offensive lineman. And he can move as well.
Brown at left tackle is unquestionably the best position for him in New England, Wynn or no Wynn. And, it’s the best option for the Patriots, bar none.
In fact, moving Wynn to either offensive right tackle or inside might work better for him, as well. He’d have help at any of these other positions rather than being out on an island.
Trent Brown is as big as an island and it makes perfect sense to deploy him as such for New England in 2021 and beyond.
Those are three reasons why it says here that Brown is the New England Patriots best signing (trade and signing) bar none to-date in the 2021 offseason.
And it is in the offseason that championships are made.