What OT Trent Brown Dreams About His Role With Patriots

Brown seeks a versatile role in his return to New England

Trent Brown played just one season in New England among his first six in the NFL, but he feels like he’s coming home.

Brown re-signed with the Patriots last week after spending the past two seasons with the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders, signing a one-year, $9 million contract as a free agent.

“Honestly, I just feel like ever since I left, nothing has gone right for me,” Brown said during a video conference Wednesday. “I’ve been experiencing little small nagging injuries. I’ve had to experience a lot of time without ball. And I wasn’t really feeling the place of work, I guess you could say.

“No hard feelings to them [the Raiders] or anything, but I guess you could just say it wasn’t a good fit … I’ve worn a lot of jerseys in my life, but I’ve never been more proud than when I put on the Patriots jersey.”

Brown played just five games last season and 11 the year before with the Raiders. In 2018, his lone season with the Pats, he started all 16 games, mostly at left tackle.

With the Pats’ depth on their offensive line, they might have to move Brown to the right side. The 27-year-old actually has a more ambitious idea about where he should play in 2021.

“I don’t really have a preference. I feel like I’m the best at both,” Brown said. “And I have a dream in my head like how the best corner follows the best receiver all over the field, I want to be the guy that follows the best pass rusher. So wherever I’m needed, that’s where I’ll play.”

After the injuries that plagued him the past couple seasons, Brown says he’s healthy. And he said that the Patriots want him to play at less than 380 pounds, a weight goal he has already met.

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Matt Kalman is the editor of SI Patriot Maven. Follow him on Twitter @MattKalman.