Patriots Coaching Legend on OL Trent Brown: ‘Got to Get Him on Board’

Former New England Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia believes that a motivated Trent Brown is key to the line’s success in 2023.

FOXBORO — While the region’s attention remains collectively focused on the New England Patriots’ potential signing of free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, one of the the team’s most-revered coaches is keeping his eyes squarely focused on his area of expertise. 

Former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia is well aware that the identity of pass catchers — or throwers —  is of little relevance if the o-line is not providing proper protection. 

Scarnecchia believes that a key element for New England fielding a capable offensive line in 2023 is the presence of a motivated Trent Brown at starting left tackle. 

"If he’s the player that he can be, then you don’t have to worry so much about that side of the line of scrimmage, specifically against pass rushers,” Scarnecchia recently told WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show.

Brown is entering the upcoming NFL season on the heels of a disappointing showing in 2022. The eight-year veteran saw a sharp decline in production following his move from the right to the left side last season. Brown committed a team-high 13 penalties [six holding penalties, five false starts] and was charged with allowing eight sacks, per Pro Football Focus.

Brown saw the field sparingly during the team’s offseason workout program. The 30-year-old did not participate in voluntary organized team activities, while missing Day 1 of mandatory minicamp due to reported travel restrictions stemming from inclement weather. Though he was present for the second and final day of team practices, he spent nearly the entirety of the day doing conditioning work after partaking in team warmups. 

Though Scarnecchia remains confident in Brown’s abilities, the soon-to-be Patriots Hall of Fame coach believes that new offensive line skipper Adrian Klemm [also a Scarnecchia pupil] must get the sizable lineman to both understand and accept his role. As the 75-year-old confessed, it was a challenge to do so during his first season coaching Brown in New England. 

“I think the biggest thing for him was getting him to conform to the culture and the room and the standards that the players in the room had set for themselves over a long period of time,” Scarnecchia said of his former pupil. “Once he realized that it was either fall in line or fall on his sword — it was going to be either one of the two — I think he found the alternative of falling in line with everyone else.”

In short, he also had a little help from Brown’s teammates. 

“I think that the guys in the room had a lot to do with it, too, from a standpoint of when he wasn’t all in,” Scarnecchia said with a grin. 

Though Brown’s first tour of duty in New England lasted only one season, his impact on the Pats’ offensive line proved to be as massive as his 6-8, 370-pound frame. While providing stout protection of both the pass and the run, he helped the Pats to a championship run, culminating with a victory in Super Bowl LIII. To this day, Brown continues to reverently speak of Scarnecchia’s influence on him.  

In turn, Scarnecchia has not wavered in his faith in Brown — instead maintaining that he must return to form to reverse the ill fortune suffered by the o-line last season. Under the direction of former coach Matt Patricia, the unit was routinely plagued by injury and inconsistent play. As a result, the offense regressed to a subpar level in both pass protection and run blocking. 

Accordingly, Scarnecchia offers his cautionary tale to both Klemm and the veteran players — most notably, team captain David Andrews — that re-engaging Brown is a challenge they must accept. 

“I like the kid. I think he’s a tremendous talent, and I would love to see him be there and all in and be able to do the things that he can do to help the team,” Scarnecchia implored. 

“I think the more time that they [Brown and Klemm] can spend with one another … have a meeting of the minds relative to what’s expected of him … the guy will do what you want him to do and what he’s asked to do,” he said. 

“You’ve just got to get him. You’ve got to get him on board, and that’s what’s important at this point.”

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