Tag Archives: Trent Brown

How the Patriots’ Tackle Spots Could Look Very Different This Season

It goes without saying that the Patriots currently have a large surplus at the tackle position on their offensive line. Funny enough, this strong group is the same group that had plenty of question marks on the first day of free agency when Trent Brown left for Oakland.

With all that being said, with all the Patriots’ additions to their tackle posistions, the loss of Trent Brown now seems somewhat insignificant. This is of course making two key assumptions; Jared Veldheer has the ability to start, and Isaiah Wynn has properly healed from his egregious Achilles injury last August.

Patriots Tackle Outlook

The Patriots currently have Isaiah Wynn, Marcus Cannon, Jared Veldheer, Dan Skipper, Cole Croston, Yondy Cajuste, Calvin Anderson, Cedrick Lang, and Tyree St. Louis all listed at the tackle spot. Their influx of tackles provides a lot of flexibility for coaches Dante Scarnecchia, Josh McDaniels, and de facto GM Bill Belichick.

Coach Scar Has Plenty of Options

Scarnecchia will obviously benefit the most from all these moves, as he will be the closest to these players. Coach Scar will now have to make the decision on where Isaiah Wynn plays this season and decide the roles of Jared Veldheer, Marcus Cannon, Yondy Cajuste.

Expect Cajuste to Be a Sponge This Year

In all likelihood, Yondy Cajuste, the fourth round selection out of West Virginia, will play a LaAdrian Waddle type role and mostly sit back in his first year. Although, he can potentially play the game a lot like Trent Brown did in his one season with the Patriots. Asking him to do what Trent did however, will take time.

…And Then There Were Three

Now, narrowing down the two starters on this line gets tricky. All three players (Wynn, Cannon, and Veldheer) could merit the distinction of being a starter on this team. However, it seems like Isaiah Wynn’s Achilles could answer the whole question.

Assuming Wynn is not completely ready to preform, the answer will be that Marcus Cannon starts at right tackle and Jared Veldheer at left.

Wynn with a healthy Achilles muddies the waters, and could potentially ship Marcus Cannon out of Foxboro.

Why Veldheer’s Job Seems Safe

Simply based off the money he received, it seems very plausible that he should be carved into one of the starting tackle spots. Although the exact details of his contract remain undisclosed, we know that he could earn a max value of 6.5 million dollars this season. Bill Belichick and Nick Casiero do not pay camp bodies, or even backup tackles, 6.5 million dollars. The Patriots must like this guy, therefore, his job seems pretty safe for now. Veldheer also primarily played right tackle for the Cardinals and Broncos. This puts him primarily in competition with Marcus Cannon.

A Healthy Wynn Could Place Cannon on the Trade Block

Remember when the Patriots traded Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers before the season started a few years back? Belichick could make another big trade of an offensive tackle before the season starts this year too.

Cannon just came off one of his better seasons in a while. A season where his health was better than normal, and he was a very solid right tackle last season.

If Coach Scarnecchia decides that Isaiah Wynn is ready to make a big impact in essentially his rookie season, Cannon might be in trouble and sold for his highest value.

Cannon could become obsolete with Wynn, Veldheer, and Cajuste in the picture. And his contract and age might be too hefty for Belichick and the Patriots.

An aging player with a decreasing role and a contract north of 7.4 million dollars each of the next two seasons normally gets floated in trade talks by teams. With Bill Belichick, a hit to Cannon’s role and value on this team will have the Patriots’ GM making phone calls off the hook.

Cannon better hope Wynn does not upstage him, otherwise Cannon may not be blocking for Tom Brady too much longer.

My Prediction

I believe in Wynn’s abilities and so do the Patriots. Thus, Wynn plays left tackle and Jared Veldheer plays right tackle.

Veldheer played right tackle in Arizona and in Denver. With his contract and Wynn impressing like I believe he will, it currently is very hard to see Cannon keeping his job here in New England.

Furthermore, Cannon gets traded for a defensive lineman, safety, or maybe even another target for Brady.

Injuries always happen in training camp and preseason. If a tackle goes down for an extended period of time, expect Belichick to welch off another team’s desperation and get his highest value for Cannon. Assuming he did not already trade him

Rounds 4-7: Scouting Reports on Patriots Later Round Picks

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Now let’s take a look at some of the later round picks by the Patriots. These picks, although not as flashy, solidified some positions with question marks.

The Patriots certainly solidified the offensive line, at least for now. With Cajuste and Frohodlt, the Patriots now could very well contend for one of the best offensive lines in the league. Even with Trent Brown leaving for Oakland.

101. YONDY CAJUSTE, OT

WEST VIRGINIA

Yondy Cajuste said in interviews that West Virginia ran some Patriots plays in their offense. That might be one reason Belichick liked him so much. With Marcus Cannon getting older by the day, Trent Brown leaving, and Isaiah Wynn rehabbing from a gruesome achilles injury, it is no secret the Patriots needed to address the tackle position early. Cajuste is the quintessential Trent Brown replacement pick. He is a large man who will play the swing tackle role that we saw Trent play last year. This pick and the selection of Hjalte Froholdt indicates to me that if Isaiah Wynn’s achilles looks good to go, the Patriots will trade Joe Thuney or Marcus Cannon with no hesitation. Thuney is in the last year of his contract and Cannon is probably in the last year the Patriots could trade him. If Cajuste is solid and Wynn impresses, Patriots could flip either one at their max value for a defensive lineman or tight end.

What he does right:

-Wins with his length

-Balanced, well-framed stance

-Good hand technique

-Very powerful player, overwhelms rushers at times

-Good body awareness

-Does little things really well

-Displays strong football IQ

-Good functional athleticism

-Scrappy, angry player, is a bully on the line

-Strong effort and hustle

Some nuances in his game:

-Can look flat-footed against faster rushers on the edge

-Too many gaps of time of sliding feet in protection

-Not bendy, not flexible

-Struggles immensely at lateral redirection

-Has been ejected for some fights

Pro comparison: Jermon Bushrod

Instant impact: Will fight for starting tackle job, depends on Wynn’s health

Grade: B

118, HJALTE FROHOLDT, OG

ARKANSAS

This pick spells out Joe Thuney insurance. As mentioned before, Joe Thuney is in the last year of his contract and he will get paid big bucks. Hjalte is by no mistake one of the better guards in this year’s draft. Belichick figures he will draft Thuney’s replacement now and then get another third round comp pick for letting Joe leave. Hjalte will not have an immediate impact on this team unless one of our guards or David Andrews gets hurt. He will spend year one mostly learning from his colleagues and coach Scar. He will probably compete with Ted Karras for that swing guard role.

What he does right:

-Very solid in pass protection

-Good footwork, suitable for both guard and center

-Sturdy, wide base

-Can anchor vs power

-Sees twists and blitzes from mile away

-Under control on the move

-Effective puller

-Flexibility

-Moves well at 6’5, 300

-Good athlete

Some nuances in his game:

-Hand placement needs lots of work

-Leverage and drive can improve

-Not overly physical

-Never creates movement at point of attack

-Lacks power and tenacity

-Poor mental processing

Pro comparison: Sean Harlow

Instant impact: Will compete with Ted Karras for swing guard spot

Grade: B

133. JARRETT STIDHAM, QB

AUBURN

Well, I personally wanted the Patriots to draft Brett Rypien, but after doing some more investigating Jarrett Stidham’s game grew on me a little more. A very solid quarterback when he has the time to throw, he throws a great ball. Jarrett received a bad rap at Auburn for their terrible offense, but the people he had around him were really to fault for their poor performance and production. If Jarrett had some better guys around him, he would have been in the conversation with Haskins, Jones, and Grier. While I do not think Stidham is the answer in a post-Brady world, he might be able to develop himself into a starting quarterback in the NFL. This, however, would take a lot of work.

What he does right:

-Good decision-maker when given the opportunity

-One of the best in class at going through progressions

-Can run the option game, RPOs

-Nice display of anticipation, more at Baylor than Auburn (was previously at Baylor)

-Great touch on his footballs

-Looks off safeties, pump fakes

–Low interception numbers, safe with football

-Good footwork

-Strong in play-action game

Some nuances in his game:

–Ran a very prototypical college offensive scheme, will need to adjust to Patriots scheme and make more complex reads at next level. Year one might just be studying film and the playbook.

-Never asked to throw into tight windows, all routes and plays were simplified under offensive scheme

-Struggled when throwing into those tight windows, which was every blue moon

-He folds under pressure, which was frequent at Auburn

-Had limited opportunities to impress scouts, failed when had the opportunities

-Average arm

-Not prepared for NFL, although sitting behind Brady is exactly what he needs, according to scouts

-Hard evaluation because both offenses (Baylor and Auburn) did not put all his skills on display

-Loses accuracy when putting any force on his balls

-Not great poise

Pro comparison: Matthew Stafford

Instant impact: A year or two learning playbook, watching film, listening, and intense 1 on 1 work

Grade: C

159. BYRON COWART, DL

MARYLAND

Byron could play either play defensive end or defensive tackle, which is why he is listed as a DL. Many evaluators believe he will play more on the interior than on the edge at the pro level. Belichick loves defensive lineman who can move all over. Trey Flowers moved all over the line, Michael Bennett does that as well. Cowart by no means appears to be an answer to any big questions surrounding this line but he does posses some skills and flashes of ability that would indicate that he can be a contributor to this line. Much like Stidham, Cowart is another player who requires a lot more coaching and being placed into this system is the best news for him.

What he does right:

–Explosive for a man of his dimensions

-Powerful

-High ceiling

-Shows promise as a 3-technique player

-Good lateral ability, nice quick movement for a big man

-Violent tackler

-Powerhouse, stout

-Sheds blocks well

-Has potential to be a solid bull-rusher

-Good pad level

Some nuances in his game:

-Consistency, flash in the pan type player, technique holds him back from more consistent play

-Technique is very weak

-Football IQ is lacking

-Low floor

-Needs a lot more coaching

-Struggles at coming hard off the edge

-Attacking with hands can become more consistent

-Underachiever, was a number one prospect coming out of high school

-Has had it rough, apparently had off the field family issues during time at Auburn, ugly transfer

-Tight hips

Pro comparison: Willie Henry

Instant impact: Depth player, mostly developmental project

Grade: C

163. JAKE BAILEY, P

STANFORD

So, fans were infuriated with this pick. The reality is that Ryan Allen is a pricey punter on a one year deal, and any opportunity to save some money for close to the same production is something Belichick jumps on. Will Bailey beat Allen out for the job? Eh, we don’t really know. However, this right footed punter is very talented and could very well take Allen’s place next year.

What he does right:

-Very strong leg, had an 84 yard punt last year

-Flips the field

-Great hang time, lead NCAA with hang time in 2018

-Good direction

-Can handle kickoff duties as well

Some nuances in his game:

-Touch

-Can sometimes put too much on his kicks, high number of touchbacks

Pro comparison: Andy Lee

Instant impact: Practice squad for year one

Grade: B

252. KEN WEBSTER, CB

OLE MISS

This pick is very much similar to the selection of Keion Crossen last year. Similar skill set, falling down draft boards for similar reasons, and getting drafted in a similar spot to the same team. Webster got off to a great start at Ole Miss, but injuries plagued his college career. He never really was the same player at Ole Miss, but if he could encompass some of what he had there in the pros, he can be a solid contributor in the NFL that much like Crossen is put in for different specific assignments. He will certainly be someone to keep your eyes on during camp.

What he does right:

-Great speed and explosiveness

-Physical

-Redirects receivers in man and zone coverage

-Handsy player

-Great at coming up and covering the run

-Athletic

-Recovery speed

-Aggressive, gritty

-Upper body strength

Some nuances in his game:

-He is impatient in press coverage, press is not a strong suit

-Spacing

-Field awareness

-Football IQ is below average, pays price for mistakes rooted out of lack of awareness and understanding

-Inconsistent technique, especially at line of scrimmage

-Struggles to stay square

Pro comparison: Keion Crossen

Instant impact: Will battle to make team, could contend with Crossen for last cornerback spot

Grade: C+

Can Isaiah Wynn replace Trent Brown?

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It’s no secret that the Patriots have a plethora of key free agents that will likely seek greener pastures. Trey Flowers is the big name that comes to mind, along with a majority of the receiving corps. The other large, pun intended, free agent set to cash in is offensive tackle Trent Brown.

The Patriots acquired Brown during the 2018 draft, and only swapped third and fifth round picks with the 49ers to do so. That 5th round pick ended up yielding Ja’Whaun Bentley, which could turn out to be a steal.

At the time, no one thought too much of the Brown trade, other than the Patriots got an enormous human being. With the loss of Nate Solder, Brown looked to be the new left tackle, but there was also the new first round pick to consider.

New England drafted Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall pick out of Georgia. The Patriots initially saw him as the potential heir to Brady’s blindside, but then Bill Belichick stole Brown from San Francisco. Wynn isn’t considered a traditional tackle, as he only stands 6’2″, which is a lower height than average. He moved around the entire line at Georgia, but definitely possesses the talent to play the tackle position well.

It looked to be a position battle going into camp, with both Brown and Wynn vying for the starting role. Brown was the more obvious choice, as he had the experience and measurements over Wynn. However, Wynn came out of college highly touted, and Belichick gave him a shot in the preseason. That shot lasted exactly one quarter.

Wynn went down playing right tackle when newly acquired Michael Bennett put too much weight on Wynn’s Achilles. He hobbled off the field and didn’t see it again for the rest of 2018, ending up on Injured Reserve. This was the case for most of New England’s rookie class, but Wynn is all set to go for 2019.

With Brown more than likely leaving unless New England breaks character and signs him to a massive deal, can Wynn fill his predecessor’s humongous shoes?

Assuming Brown does depart, the job is absolutely Wynn’s to lose. There aren’t many solid offensive tackle options on the market or in the draft (in the Pats range), so Wynn looks to be the next man up. Belichick didn’t acquire Brown until day 2, so he drafted Wynn with the starting job in mind.

There is definitely a lot to like about Wynn. He is a great lineman all round, excelling at moving around and creating holes for the running back. He was dominant in the 2018 Rose Bowl, keeping Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm protected the entire night. There shouldn’t be much worry about Wynn’s athleticism. He will do extremely well with open field blocks and leading the charge downfield.

If there is one area of concern however, it would be his ability to stand up to NFL caliber linemen. He will be dealing with players that far exceed his height and weight, which was the knock on Wynn coming out of college. The left tackle is arguably one of the most important positions, and protecting Tom Brady’s blindside is crucial at this point in his career. A 42 year old man doesn’t need to be taking hits from his backside throughout a season.

There is a lot of hope for Wynn, especially on the Patriots staff. He was the top pick for New England a year ago, and needs to live up to that in 2019. To answer the question of, “Can he replace Trent Brown?”, I believe he can. Brown was a solid player in the 2018 season, but did seem lazy at times. He wasn’t the best at keeping guys off Brady’s back, and that’s the area Wynn needs to prove himself at.

At this point, there should be no excuses for the sophomore, as he will have arguably the NFL’s best offensive line coach, the legendary Dante Scarnecchia, guiding him along the way. It will be interesting to see if they capitalize on Wynn’s athleticism in ways they couldn’t with Brown. If all goes according to plan, the Patriots will have their left tackle of the future in Isaiah Wynn.

Patriots Top Three Draft Needs Might Surprise

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Note: Pre-draft scouting reports on potential Patriots are on their way and will be posted regularly as the draft comes even closer.

A stockpile of picks, a bunch of needs, and a much needed injection of youth should make this draft interesting for all Patriots fans.

The most interesting aspect of this whole draft for the Patriots will be the direction they take. Do they aim more for day one contributors that can provide value at a second or third spot on a depth chart? Do they aim more for developmental pieces that may take longer to develop but better the team after the Brady era ends? This decision will greatly dictate how the Patriots draft and who they draft.

Obviously, the more valuable picks are the players that can provide some immediate value and can also continue to get better overtime. Let’s take a look at which positions the Patriots should find themselves emphasizing this year and how high up on the totem pole each one should be.

1. TIGHT END

Iowa’s TJ Hockenson is certainly on the draft board for the Patriots

Look for the Patriots to address tight end extremely early. TJ Hockenson should be their main priority going into the draft, as he can provide short-term and long-term benefits. Player comparisons for TJ span all the way from Dennis Pitta to a baby Gronk.

Adding Hockenson would provide immediate benefit to a team that loves their two tight end sets. He also has an extremely high ceiling that could answer the Patriots potential problems at tight end once Gronk retires.

Hockenson being available at #32 might be a stretch. Which if it so happens that his name gets called before the Patriots selection, plenty of options will still be available at tight end. This tight end loaded class features many potential options, however none as appealing or exciting as TJ.

Gronk will not play forever, therefore the time has come to find his eventual replacement.

2. FRONT SEVEN

Mississippi State’s Jeffery Simmons remains the wild card

Do not let the great play by this group in the playoffs overshadow the regular season and regular seasons prior. This front seven still needs a major revamp.

Linebacker happens to be less of a need than expected, due to the emergence of Van Noy and the glimpse everyone received of Ja’whaun Bentley. Yet, Hightower gets no younger and carries a tremendous cap hit next season. Adrian Clayborn did not live up to his unreasonable expectations and also costs a pretty penny next year. Flowers needs to be resigned to a ground-breaking deal. Shelton and Brown also appear set to at least hit the market, whether they return remains unknown.

Harsh reality here, the Patriots front seven has been inconsistent and has struggled in countless areas. Much turnover looks likely for the group and defensive coaches are leaving this team left and right.

The best strategy would be to draft quality front seven players that fit the ideology of the new incoming coaches. Therefore, the Patriots should bring some much needed youth to a core that needs a new direction.

Keep an eye on Jeffery Simmons, who has his red flags and also just tore his ACL but if he slides enough, the Patriots could potentially snag him on day two. Simmons being a top ten talent in most people’s minds, would certainly be worth the risk if available on day two.

3. OFFENSIVE TACKLE

With the right coaching for Northern Illinois’ Max Scharping, he can be a deadly force in the NFL

Expect the Patriots to at least think about grabbing another offensive tackle to eventually pair with Isaiah Wynn.

The future remains unclear on whether the Patriots will resign Trent Brown but regardless the Patriots will have to choose between either Brown and Wynn or Cannon and Wynn.

Brown will not be cheap to resign and the Patriots will have to take a look at Wynn’s recovery from the Achilles injury that sidelined him this season. Wynn should be ready to go for week one but might see some drawbacks in his game. If Wynn for some reason really does not appear like he should be starting week one, well then, a Greek tragedy arises. A travesty occurs. Shakespeare would call this play Isaiah of Foxboro (Timon of Athens reference).

If Wynn’s health does not seem up to par, that would mean the Patriots would likely have to sign Trent Brown to a huge contract and retain Marcus Cannon’s cap hit as well. Meaning the first round pick would be struggling, the Patriots would pay a king’s ransom, and they would also likely forfeit a potential third round comp pick that they would likely acquire if they let Trent Brown go.

Bottom line is that the Patriots will look at Wynn’s health and likely look to dump either Brown or Cannon. This would inevitably require them to find a tackle that could backup for the meantime and later step into a full role.

The guy to watch out for here is Max Scharping. His draft stock entirely depends on his combine and Pro day. He could end up falling anywhere between rounds one through four depending on his combine and Pro day. Assuming he falls a bit, he would be a perfect developmental player for New England. Max is someone who could end up starting for them for a long time under Scarnecchia’s influence and guidance.

Taking a look at New England’s free agents

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Every New England offseason has its share of turnover. Surprise trades (Brandin Cooks, Logan Mankins, Lawyer Milloy) and veteran free agent signings are usually the meta for GM Bill Belichick. There might be some questionable and even shocking decisions made, but always in Bill We Trust. A majority of the decisions made come from letting free agents walk over a couple million dollars. This has been the Patriot policy since 2000, and doesn’t usually change as long as Belichick has something to do with it.

Aside from a few exceptions, the Patriots almost exclusively refuse to overpay for any player. Stephon Gilmore is the most recent expensive signing, and he seems to be working out okay. However, others who have demanded a Brinks truck type contract have been dismissed from 1 Patriot Place.

This upcoming offseason, the Patriots have 22 players that are up for free agency. So which of those key free agents are leaving, and which ones are sticking around to defend the title?

Stephen Gostkowski, K, UFA, Stay

The all time leader in points scored in franchise history should stay put this offseason. He was franchise tagged last time he was a free agent, and while that remains a possibility this offseason, a two to three year deal seems more logical. Kicking is valuable in the NFL these days and the Patriots know the value of Ghost.

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, UFA, Stay

Patterson is a tricky player to predict in terms of value. The Patriots got him in a steal of trade with the Raiders, but his market value will determine if he remains in New England. He is a solid kick returner, something the Pats lack on the current roster, and a weapon on offense. The jet sweep was one of the offense’s best plays this past season and it was in large part thanks to Patterson. I believe he will stay on a one or two year deal for around 4-5 million due to his kick return ability.

Chris Hogan, WR, UFA, Leave

Hogan’s tenure with the Patriots was a weird one. At times it seems like no one of the field can cover him, and other times he can’t separate at all. He has come up clutch in the playoffs but this past season the Patriots showed they don’t need him anymore. It’s unfortunate, as Hogan is a great guy and a true Patriot on the field, but he is going to ask for too much money.

Jason McCourty, CB, UFA, Undecided

There are a lot of variables surrounding the second McCourty brother. He was one of the best pickups of the offseason, but remains a mystery. Devin McCourty has been flirting with retirement and Jason could very well follow suit. I think if Devin does stay a Patriot then Jason would take a pay cut to remain on the field with his brother. If Devin retires however, I would think Jason is worth too much money for the Patriots liking.

Danny Shelton, DT, UFA, Leave

Another former 0-16 Brown turned champion, Shelton was a solid trade. The run defense drastically improved with him on the field, but he was also inactive for nearly half the season. New England could slightly overpay for the big-bodied tackle but coming off a Super Bowl run will increase Shelton’s market. If he does resign with the Pats, a preseason roster cut would not be out of the question if he under-performs.

Phillip Dorsett, WR, UFA, Stay

The third wide receiver set to hit free agency, Dorsett was wildly underused this season. He didn’t drop a pass thrown his way since Week 4 against Miami and was a good route runner. Playing behind Hogan and Edelman decreased his playing time, but a third full season with the Patriots could be extremely beneficial. His market won’t be large, and I think the Pats bring him back on a short term, low value deal.

Ryan Allen, P, UFA, Stay

After his performance this year and in the Super Bowl, New England better resign Allen. A legitimate argument could have been made for Allen as the SB MVP, and Bill Belichick loves special teams. Allen would be hard to replace and should remain in New England unless a team overpays for him.

Josh Gordon, WR, RFA, Undecided

The true mystery of the offseason, Josh Gordon is a restricted free agent but is expected to stay with the Pats. This, of course, hinges on Gordon completing his rehab and being reinstated (which can happen in May). If the former All-Pro can stay clean and get the help he needs, he will make the offseason a success. Assuming all goes well and the Pats match any offer teams give Gordon, he should be back in training camp this summer.

LaAdrian Waddle, OL, UFA, Leave

With Isaiah Wynn coming off Injured Reserve next season and Waddle nearing his thirties, it makes sense for him to leave. He has been a serviceable backup to any offensive lineman that was hurt but could land a starting job on a more needy team. The Patriots should seek some help in the draft with offensive lineman depth, negating the need for Waddle.

Eric Rowe, CB, UFA, Leave

Spending most of the season on IR, Rowe vastly underperformed the first few games. The emergence of J.C. Jackson and rookie Duke Dawson set to come off IR, Rowe is no longer needed. However, due to his injury history, the Patriots could wait out the market on Rowe and see if he signs elsewhere. If he doesn’t, a low value “prove-it” deal would be beneficial to both sides. Another factor in his resigning is Jason McCourty, who would negate Rowe’s value if brought back.

Malcom Brown, DT, UFA, Stay

With Danny Shelton also a free agent, it would be prudent to resign at least one of these tackles. Brown is the optimal choice, as he has been here longer and outplayed Shelton this season. Brown has good technique, and after a rocky start, had a fantastic finish to the season. This is one player New England would be wise to pay.

Trey Flowers, DE, UFA, Stay

The marquee free agent for New England: Trey Flowers. He is as disruptive and effective as any defensive end in football and this is someone the Patriots need to overpay for. He needs to be the Stephon Gilmore of this offseason, no question. PFF ranked him as one of the top edge rushers in the NFL this season and he is irreplaceable in the New England defense. Flowers will command a contract that may exceed 80 or 90 million, but he is worth every penny.

Trent Brown, LT, UFA, Leave

Perhaps the largest sized Patriot in recent memory is set to have a big pay day. Brown’s play this season made his value sky rocket and teams will be gnawing at the bit to sign him. With Isaiah Wynn in waiting, and Trey Flowers set to break the bank, Brown will unfortunately have to move on to greener pastures. It is worth noting that if New England feels like they can’t resign Flowers, the focus would turn to Brown.

Jonathan Jones, CB, RFA, Stay

With Jason McCourty potentially leaving, and Eric Rowe almost definitely departing, Jones should stay. He is a restricted free agent so if the Patriots want him they will keep him. Jones won’t get a huge offer from another team, but his speed is valuable. I think unless an offer comes in that exceeds 5 million, the Pats keep him around. His special teams prowess also makes him more valuable than others on this list.

Albert McClellan, LB, UFA, Leave

An underrated pickup of the 2018 season, McClellan quietly made second team All-Pro for special teams. It’s because of this All-Pro nod that he will get solid money from another team. If it was another offseason and the Pats had less free agents to sign, Belichick would resign him. However, due to the plethora of more important players, McClellan will walk.

John Simon, DE, UFA, Leave

Another quietly solid pickup this season, the veteran Simon made a few key plays along the season. He deflected a pass and had a tackle for loss in the Super Bowl, but like McClellan he is lower on the totem pole. If several free agents who are expected to stay do leave, Simon could be brought back. However, as of now, I would bet on him moving on.

Ramon Humber, LB, UFA, Stay

This is the type of player the Patriots usually bring back. New England loves veteran free agents who hold their value to the team. Humber was primarily a special teamer, but with McClellan most likely departing, Humber should be resigned for dirt cheap.

Brian Schwenke, C, UFA, Stay

Another depth option, Schwenke was inactive for the entire 2018 season. However, he has been here for a year and is the only center on the roster besides David Andrews. He should be resigned for close to a million.

Offensive Lineman: Post-Cut Looks

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With the uncertainty of roster cut day behind us, we now turn towards prepping for Week 1. The Patriots are a team that believes in churning the bottom of the roster. The cuts and the signings are all about improving the team. There are several reasons for this. They have certain needs that change from week to week. Players don’t progress as expected. Injuries cause vulnerabilities at various positions. Players become available that the coaching staff views as an upgrade.

With the Texans game coming up in a few short days the coaching staff is working furiously to quickly evaluate all the names that have become available across the NFL. Taking a quick look at the New England roster I noticed one major need. The offensive line has just seven members remaining. Marcus Cannon, Trent Brown and LaAdrian Waddle are the tackles and Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, and Ted Karras fill up the interior. This is slightly thin given past history. The Patriots normally carry 8 on the roster and activate 6 or 7 for game day. An injury or two to this group will compromise the offense and endanger Tom Brady.

The Patriots will undoubtedly seek to get some of their own cuts onto their practice squad. Cole Croston, Matt Tobin and James Ferentz have provided depth in the past and I expect them to get first look at the beginning of the season. The Patriots may be turning towards veterans that are on the free agent market or waiver pickups.

Interior options

This isn’t as pressing of a need as Thuney, Mason and Andrews seem to be healthy and ready to go this season. Ted Karras has been an intriguing option for previous seasons and seems to have the trust of the coaching staff.

Zane Beadles

Zane Beadles – a 6 ft 4 inch veteran entering his 9th season. He has played for the Broncos, Jaguars, and 49ers. Primarily a guard, he has filled in at tackle and that versatility could intrigue the coaching staff. He last played in San Francisco with Trent Brown and could provide some leadership and familiarity.

Travis Swanson – A center/guard player who last played for the NY Jets. He would be an option to provide depth for Andrews. Being a former member of the Jets can only help as well. He is a little lighter at 6 ft 5 in and 312 pounds and has had trouble staying healthy.

Jeremiah Poutasi – Another guard with tackle experience. He is a little younger so they will have to claim him on waivers or sign him if he makes it through. He spent the offseason with the Denver Broncos and is 6 ft 5 and 330 pounds.

Nico Siragusa – One of my favorite prospects in the 2017 draft. The Ravens selected him in the 4th round and he suffered a knee injury in his rookie season. He’s worked his way back and may still need some time but has good speed and movement at 6 ft 4 in and 330 pounds

Tackle options

Austin Howard

Austin Howard – He should be on everyone’s radar, if only to see why he played so poorly. He was a sought after free agent when he signed with the Colts. He is a big guy at 6 ft 7 in and 330 pounds and could provide depth and competition for Waddle.

Antonio Garcia – Perhaps a year away with another team could have renewed the Patriot’s interest in Garcia. The team has been primarily concerned with his health and weight following his cut after his rookie season. New England could reconsider and see if he has improved with a claim.

Cyrus Kouandjio – Still 25 years young despite having 4 seasons under his belt. He was drafted by the Bills in the 2014 draft. He is 6 ft 7 in and 325 pounds. Cyrus could provide some size and speed behind the starters.

Chad Wheeler – Despite being and undrafted free agent and on the smaller side. He managed to play his way onto a bad NY Giants offensive line last season. The 6 ft 7 in Tackle prospect could get looks despite being sub 310 pounds.

With the Patriots coaching staff scouring the roster cuts and waiver wires they will be looking at more than just these names. Hopefully whoever they pick up will be able to help the team this season and beyond. Championship teams are built many ways, and the Patriots have mastered all of them.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

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Trent Brown: Who Is This Guy?

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The Belichick strikes again!

The chicken littles came out when in force when Nate Solder left the Patriots in free agency. “How could they let him go”, and “No one on the team can replace him.” Sprinkle in a couple “You gotta protect Tom Brady!”

His Plan

So what does he do? Does he overpay for some of the other departing free agents in a panic? Does he sign marginal free agents in hopes that they stick? No, he waits. And he waits. Then when the moment and the situation is right, he strikes! Selecting Isaiah Wynn to join the team and recently resigned LaAdrian Waddle. Ok, the littles got a little quieter. “But, he’s a rookie” and “He should play guard,” joined the chorus.

Then Friday morning of the draft, news broke that the Patriots traded with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire right tackle Trent Brown. The internet was abuzz with the new look of the Patriots offensive line and what the position coach, Dante Scarnecchia, was going to be working with in training camp. So, who is Trent Brown? Is he going to protect the blind side? Why was he traded? Will we be hearing his name in February as a starter in the Super Bowl or a surprise cut in August?

The Man

Trent Brown was one of those nondescript draft picks, number 244 in the seventh round. If there were any remarks about the developmental prospect, it centered around how large he was for a player. 355 pounds of a tackle is both a blessing and a curse. While the weight will help to anchor and provide blocking power it can also lead to sloppy technique and lack of conditioning. His college career also was that of a young man still learning. He played at junior college Georgia Military College before enrolling at Florida. Brown would start at both tackle and guard before entering the draft in 2015

His Path

Proving that everyone’s football journey is different, Trent Brown actually started the last two games of his rookie season. He followed that up by starting all sixteen games in his sophomore season. This is an accomplishment for any player, let alone a seventh-round pick.

His Game

Are the Patriots getting a raw prospect that uses his bulk to overpower smaller opponents? If anything, the opposite. While his run blocking could use some refinement and improvement, his pass blocking is near elite. PFF graded his injury-shortened 2017 at 86.0, good enough for third on the year. Only Joe Thomas and Jason Peter graded out higher. Good company.

His Future

And consider this widely circulated quote from Von Miller. “He’s the best right tackle in the National Football League. And he may even be a top-five tackle, period, in the National Football League. There’s not another tackle who’s that tall, that big and can move the way he moves.” I’ll take it.

So how did the Patriots manage to score such a prize? For merely moving back two rounds they have a mountain of a man that could become an elite left tackle for the best quarterback in the NFL. The dreaded regime change. Kyle Shanahan took over the 49ers before the 2017 season. There were some rumors about toughness and ability to play through injury that will have to be monitored. The biggest factor to me is that Shanahan likes to move his tackles and guards around. Pull them for blocking assignments and get them to the second level. And while Brown is very athletic and agile for his size it still is difficult for a man his size to do the things Shanahan asks of his linemen.

Don’t think the Patriots acquired damaged goods or a disgruntled player. Think that they are getting a superb pass blocker that is an ascending player. If he wins the left tackle or right tackle job or some other combination of personnel, he will make his presence known.