Top 30 NFL free agents for 2019

25. Trent Brown

In his first year protecting Tom Brady’s blind side after an offseason trade with the San Francisco 49ers, and with some ups and downs (12 pressures allowed; second-most among tackles), Brown was graded above average by Pro Football Focus. He had primarily played right tackle for the 49ers, and at 25 years old Brown has malleable upside as he looks to eliminate inconsistencies and take another step into the top tier of NFL left tackles.

Even though they’re toward the bottom of the league in cap space right now ($25.85 million, via Over The Cap), the Patriots seem to be in good position to keep Brown if they want to. But teams more flush with cap space and a need to fill, like the Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills or New York Jets, may come with offers Brown won’t be able to turn away from and New England can’t (or won’t want to) compete with.

With youth, the premium placed on left tackles and perhaps being considered the best of the free agent bunch this year by a lot of teams in his corner, Brown is set up up to cash in rather nicely in March.