Source: Raiders OT Trent Brown Returning to Patriots on One-Year Deal
Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown is expected to return to the Patriots in a trade after agreeing to a restructured contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Rapoport reports Brown has reworked his deal, agreeing to a one-year, $11 million contract. Under the new deal, he will become a free agent after the 2021 season. Brown previously had two years and $29.5 million remaining on his contract with the Raiders.
In the trade, New England will receive Brown and a 2022 seventh-round draft pick and Las Vegas will get a 2022 fifth-round pick in return, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
Brown, 27, reunites with the Patriots after playing for the team in 2018. He started every game that year and won a Super Bowl championship before hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent. After his standout season, the Raiders signed him to a four-year, $66 million contract in March 2019.
Brown earned his first Pro Bowl nod in his first season with the Raiders but had a more difficult time in 2020. He played in only five games, being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in October and hospitalized in November when a pregame IV mishap caused air to enter his bloodstream.
Without Brown's $13.7 million base salary in 2021 and $15 million in 2022, the Raiders create some financial breathing room. Las Vegas clears around $14 million from the salary cap with the trade.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have $66 million in cap space and plenty of space to take on his contract.
Brown appeared to weigh in on the trade via Instagram by posting two photos from his time in New England.
Browns's trade won't become official until the start of the league year on March 17.
In other roster moves the Patriots are not expected to use their franchise tag on left guard Joe Thuney as they did last year, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Thuney will likely head to the free-agent market.