Patriots Most 'Overvalued': Mac Jones Protector?
Despite all of uncertainty surrounding offensive tackle Trent Brown this offseason, the New England Patriots appear committed to the veteran lineman.
Brown, 30, is coming off a down-year where the Pro Bowler was moved from the right to left side. Over his 17 games - including 16 starts - Brown committed a team-high 13 penalties [six holding penalties, five false starts] and was charged with allowing eight sacks, per Pro Football Focus.
Along with this, the nine-year pro received backlash for missing the first day of mandatory minicamp, only igniting rumors on how dedicated he truly is.
But with New England not selecting a lineman in the NFL Draft and Brown carrying a $12.5 million cap hit heading into 2023, CBS Sports named him the most "overvalued" player in New England.
"New England didn't dive into the NFL Draft and take a tackle prospect with one of its top-tier selections and appears set on rolling with Trent Brown to protect Mac Jones' blindside, which is a risky proposition," CBS Sports writes. "When Brown has bought in, he's proven to be a solid figure along New England's offensive line. However, if he's not that could lead to Mac Jones being under fire by pass rushers every week. The Patriots likely should have made the tackle position more of a priority this offseason and now they're left wondering what version of Brown will be protecting their young quarterback."
With a Pro Bowl and Super Bowl ring in his arsenal, the talent for Brown is there. However, the Patriots hope to receive the "all in" version under their new offense.
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