Trent Brown trade could mean reshuffling the Patriots offensive line
The New England Patriots traded for Trent Brown on Tuesday. His return to the team could mean the end of the line for a couple of other players.
The New England Patriots finally displayed life for the first time in the current offseason. The team made a trade to bring back former tackle Trent Brown from the Las Vegas Raiders. The move was the first move of any substance by the Patriots since the season ended. Coming off of a 7-9 season, fans have been expecting more.
In trading for Brown, the Patriots now have plenty of flexibility with the team’s offensive lines. Despite having starters Joe Thuney and David Andrews as free agents, the team has options for just about every spot. The team has especially protected itself now if it were to lose Thuney in free agency.
By bringing back Brown, the team has the option of playing him at either right or left tackle. He started at left tackle for the Patriots in 2018 and played very well. He played at right tackle during the past two seasons for the Raiders so he has the ability to play both.
It is possible the Patriots play Brown at left tackle again and move last season’s starter, Isaiah Wynn over to left guard to replace Thuney. Wynn has been considered to be undersized at left tackle and has the mobility to work at guard.
Another option for the Patriots is to play Brown at right tackle and move last year’s surprise Michael Onwenu over to left guard to replace Thuney. Onwenu was drafted as a guard, but due to injuries and his play, he split time between guard and right tackle as a rookie last season. His versatility opens up options for the Patriots.
The Patriots also have Marcus Cannon returning to the team after opting out last season. He could also start at right tackle. The team can either start Cannon back at right tackle or move on from him.
Cannon has a cap hit of over $9 million. If the team wanted, they could waive him and only take a cap hit of over $2.5 million. Cannon could restructure his contract or the team could just take the cap savings which would cover a bulk of Brown’s salary.
It is possible the Patriots go ahead and re-sign Andrews, keep Cannon, but let Thuney sign elsewhere. In that scenario, they could have a starting offensive line looking something like this:
- LT – Trent Brown
- LG – Isaiah Wynn
- C – David Andrews
- RG – Shaq Mason
- RT – Marcus Cannon
In this scenario, Onwenu can be a reserve able to play at guard or tackle in case of injury. With the salary cap room the team currently has, it would be wise to keep as much depth as possible. Cannon is 32 and sat out last season. Before that, he dealt with injuries in 2019. The most consistent thing about Wynn in his career has been his injuries. Even Brown has been mostly injured since he left New England.
Having Onwenu as a guard and tackle replacement while also having Justin Herron as a backup at right tackle might make the most sense for the team. Both players get to be groomed while also filling in during games to keep the two massive tackles fresh.
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The addition of Brown along with the presence of Onwenu and Herron likely means Thuney will not be back, but there may be another player leaving with him. It is likely to be either Cannon or Wynn. The best bet is they re-sign Andrews for his leadership and ability to keep the offensive line on the same page while letting other members of the offensive line go.