It might be a bit early for the Patriots to be offering extensions to some of their pending free agents, but because so many are playing well and will inevitably be highly-sought after, it's better for Mike Vrabel and Co. to get the ball moving early and lock these players down as soon as possible, just as they did with Marcus Jones earlier this season.
They've done that again in the days leading up to their Week 17 matchup against the Jets, as NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the New England Patriots have signed offensive guard/center Ben Brown to a two-year/$6.6 million contract extension.
Brown's representatives, the SportsTrust Advisors, also confirmed the deal.
The #Patriots and Ben Brown agreed to terms on a 2-year deal up to $6.6M. https://t.co/XwTBYCy3PS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 23, 2025
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke highly of Brown and what he brings to the team after the extension was announced on Tuesday, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
"“I just think Ben exemplifies everything that we want in this building, this program and cares deeply about the team. Plays multiple positions, is a great teammate, plays with effort and finish and tries to work and improve and find a role for himself here. Excited to have him.”"Mike Vrabel
The Patriots extend one of their best offensive lineman well ahead of free agency
Measuring 6'5" and 313 lbs, Brown played college football at Ole Miss, where he recorded a streak of 40 consecutive starts and, as a junior, didn't allow a single sack in 432 pass blocking snaps. Brown came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals, but injured his bicep in the team's first preseason game, landing him on injured reserve and ending his rookie season before it ever really began.
The Bengals released Brown the following year as part of the team's final roster cutdowns before the 2023 NFL season, and he subsequently spent parts of the next two years on the practice squads of the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders.
During that stretch, he played in one regular-season game with the Seahawks in 2023, seeing eight snaps on offense and seven on special teams.
After the Patriots saw two of their starting interior offensive lineman in David Andrews and Cole Strange suffer serious injuries early in the 2024 campaign, the team signed Brown to their 53-man roster off the Raiders' practice squad on Oct. 10. He went on to start 10 games for the Patriots that year, seeing action on 100% of New England's offensive snaps during the contests he played in.
This season, Brown has seen a reduced, though still impactful, role. He's played in all 15 of New England's games this year, but only started two of them, seeing the field during just 21% of the Patriots' offensive snaps.
However, according to Pro Football Focus, Brown has made the most of the opportunities he has been given to play, earning a 68.5 PFF overall blocking grade, second only to starting right guard Michael Onwenu among New England's interior offensive linemen.
In 104 pass block snaps played, he's allowed zero sacks and two QB hits, while incurring three penalties across 279 total snaps.
Brown's ability to play multiple spots along the offensive line could prove useful down the stretch as the Patriots prepare for a playoff run, with injuries again mounting within this position group. New England's decision to lock him up for a few more years now shows that the team values the versatility and depth he provides.