Brown Feeling 'Back in the Saddle'
Offensive lineman Trent Brown is back in familiar territory for 2021. He is once again with the New England Patriots, and it is exactly where he wants to be.
After Brown's brief, less-than-stellar stay with the Las Vegas Raiders, New England sent a fifth-round draft choice in 2022 to the silver and black in exchange for Brown and a 2022 seventh-round selection.
This season will mark Brown’s second tour of duty with the Patriots. During their 2018 Super Bowl championship season, Brown manned the left tackle position for the Pats after arriving in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers and more than adequately protected the blind side of quarterback Tom Brady.
Despite his undeniable prowess when providing protection on the left, all signs seem to be pointing to Brown anchoring the right side in 2021. The Patriots are expected to boast of the deepest and most productive offensive lines in the NFL this season.
Brown is excited to be a part of it.
“Whichever side I end up playing on, it really doesn’t even matter to me,” Brown said Wednesday during a media video conference. “I think we have two great guards (Mike Onwenu, Shaq Mason) and of course I feel like we have one of the best centers (David Andrews) in the league. And then whichever side me and Isaiah (Wynn) play, we have two of the best tackles in the league.”
While that may sound confident, Brown’s return to New England seems to have rejuvenated his resolve.
During his time with the Raiders, Brown struggled to stay healthy, playing only 16 of a possible 32 games over the last two years. This likely was a key factor in the team deciding to trade him back to the Patriots. As such, Brown is back in a comfortable environment, which allows him to play to his strengths and optimize his conditioning.
He praised the Patriots conditioning staff for helping him maintain good health in his previous stint with the team. In fact, he looks to be following that same blueprint in 2021.
“Last time, I was here for a short time, had a lot of success," Brown said. "I’m following the same process as before ... I’m staying here (Foxboro, Massachusetts) and going along with the day-to-day program.”
By his own admission, Brown was eager to return to the Patriots. In fact, his intention was to arrive in New England at the very start of OTAs. However, fate played a role in his delayed arrival.
Brown’s brother was involved in a serious ATV accident, in which he almost lost his arm. Instead, the 27-year-old lineman took time to care for his family. Brown was pleased to tell reporters that his brother is “doing better.”
With training camp set to begin in just over a month, Brown is intent on making the most of his second time around with the Patriots. Being back in New England and having had a year’s experience in the system allows for a better understanding of the plays and schemes. Not only will that experience make Brown a better lineman, but it also will allow him to make his teammates along the line better as well.
“I think we’ll get back in the saddle and have one of the best O-lines in the league, if not the best O-line," Brown said. "We just have to keep continuing to put the work in, work on the fundamentals and get back to the basics, and we’ll be all right. We’ll be just fine.”
