Trent Brown could be an offensive line treasure for Patriots
The New England Patriots have gotten the better of the San Francisco 49ers.
Smart NFL franchises know they should avoid making trades with the New England Patriots at all costs. Unfortunately, it seems the San Francisco 49ers must have missed that memo.
The 49ers have agreed to send tackle Trent Brown and the No. 143 pick to New England in exchange for the No. 95 selection. Brown became surplus to requirements for the 49ers after the team selected Notre Dame Fighting Irish tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall selection.
Reports from sources near the 49ers believe the team wanted to make the shift to a more physical run blocker. Brown can excel when protecting the passer, but he’s certainly not a road grader in the run game.
The Patriots also spent a first-round selection on an offensive lineman in the form of Isaiah Wynn. The team made the decision to announce him as a tackle, but many scouts project him to play guard at the next level. Some might think that makes their acquisition of Brown overkill.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. New England knows that nothing is more important than its ability to protect Tom Brady. Even in his prime, the 40-year-old signal caller wasn’t equipped to run away from opposing defenders. He certainly can’t outrun anyone at this stage of his career.
The Patriots are smart to double up on potential options at tackle. No one doubts Brown’s ability to be one of the NFL’s top pass protectors when he’s healthy. The question, of course, is whether or not he is healthy at the moment. Brown finished last season on IR after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots brain trust certainly understand there’s risk involved in this deal. The potential payoff is pretty significant though. If Brown can get healthy and stay that way, he projects as an above average starter for New England at right tackle. Getting that sort of production from a player who is just scheduled to make $1.9 million this year.
Even if the move doesn’t work out, New England really haven’t spent much to kick the tires on Brown. Moving from the 95th to the 143rd pick certainly matters, but it’s far from a king’s ransom. It’s a price the Patriots can certainly afford to pay given the amount of draft capital they possess this year.
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Don’t be surprised if we look back at this seemingly minor deal as being a real key to New England’s offseason when this year’s Playoffs roll around. It’s just the sort of move that could power the Patriots to another Super Bowl run.