The end of an NFL season's first month is the perfect opportunity for fans to check in on their team's former players. Four-plus games is a solid sample size to assess whether a fresh start has helped, and while certain former New England Patriots are thriving amid their new surroundings, others are still looking for a chance to play in 2025.
Trent Brown, currently on the Houston Texans' practice squad, is one former Patriot who has yet to play a snap this season. However, that could change by the end of the weekend. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is reporting that the veteran offensive tackle was promoted to the Texans' active roster on Friday afternoon, meaning he could suit up against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Ex-Patriot Trent Brown Could Make Texans Debut in Week 5
Even though Brown's debut isn't guaranteed just yet, the Texans might have no choice but to deploy him. Fellow backup OT Blake Fisher has been awful throughout the season, as evidenced by his 43.5 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranks him 10th-worst among 109 tackles. Newly signed Jarrett Kingston will likely need more practice reps after only joining Houston's roster earlier this week.
With that being said, playing the ex-Patriots blocker makes sense for the Texans. For starters, Brown first signed with Houston back in March, so he's had over six months to familiarize himself with the coaches and front office. Yes, he was released as part of the final 53-man roster cuts, but he was added to the practice squad immediately after that, giving him more opportunities to bond with the coaching staff.
That's without mentioning Brown's experience as a former Pro Bowler, who has played both tackle positions throughout his 10-year career. His best days are long gone, but it was still only last year when the former Patriot finished with 68.4 and 64.2 PFF grades regarding run blocking and pass protection, respectively, in three appearances with the Cincinnati Bengals before tearing his patellar tendon.
For reference, the Texans entered Week 5 with the second-worst OL, according to PFF's weekly rankings. That alone proves they have nothing to lose by giving Brown a chance, even if he's coming off a major injury.
Father Time is undefeated, and it's entirely possible that the 32-year-old tackle has nothing left in the tank. At the same time, fans didn't see him play in the preseason, so it's possible he's still capable of being a weekly contributor, hence why the Texans were comfortable retaining him on the practice squad.
Nevertheless, Patriots fans will be eyeing Sunday's Ravens vs. Texans clash to see if Brown ends up playing for the first time in 2025.