These two additions could force Patriots to part ways with Trent Brown
The New England Patriots signed two veteran free agent offensive tackles to support Mac Jones better and add depth along the offensive line this offseason in Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson.
Reiff signed a one-year, $5 million contract with $4.5 million fully guaranteed in free agency. He can also earn an additional $4 million from per-game roster bonuses throughout the season.
The 11-year veteran is a former 2012 first round draft pick and also started 12 games in 2021 for the Cincinnati Bengals that went to the Super Bowl. So he has plenty of experience, which seems to be what the Pats were targeting.
Reiff is currently listed as the starting right tackle heading into the season. He’s started in 149 games out of 163 games in his career. He’s 6’5”, 313 lbs., and can maneuver himself well along the line.
Calvin Anderson is a familiar name for the Patriots, as he was with New England for a short moment in 2019 as an undrafted rookie free agent. He was waived and eventually found a home for two years in Denver.
Anderson signed a two-year, $7 million contract as a free agent with the Pats. He’s played in 41 games entering his fourth NFL season with 12 starts in his career.
He’s 6’5” tall, 300 lbs, and can play both sides of the line at either tackle position. Anderson moves swiftly with great technique and can keep up with defensive ends and linebackers trying to work around the corner to the quarterback.
The free agent additions of Reiff and Anderson are underrated signings this offseason, and it shows the Patriots are serious about bolstering the offensive line to protect Jones and give him the best opportunity possible for success with new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
These two additions, however, put Trent Brown’s future in jeopardy. Brown’s been starting since he returned in 2021 and is under contract through this season, becoming a free agent in 2024.
The way I see it, there are three options the Patriots are lobbying regarding Brown.
Simply releasing him would save $8 million. However, it’s hard to believe he has no trade value, which is the second option; try to trade him. The third option is to keep him, expecting him to be the starting left tackle this season.
How things are going, it looks like the writing could be on the wall for Brown in New England in a two-for-one situation, as the Patriots added two players in Reiff and Anderson. However, if Bill Belichick can obtain some value in return for Brown, I would expect him to make the deal.
It’s worth mentioning that it’s tough to replace the size of Brown at 6’8” tall and 380 lbs. But Belichick went out and signed two guys — Reiff and Anderson — who are both 6’5” tall and weigh over 300 lbs.
The upcoming NFL Draft could also play into this equation. If the Patriots use a pick of value on an offensive lineman, specifically a tackle, then I would expect Brown to be on his way out of New England.