New England Patriots

Report: Patriots’ Trent Brown ‘openly discussed plans’ to play for another team in 2024

Trent Brown's time in New England is likely coming to a close after getting healthy scratched last Sunday.

Trent Brown will hit free agency this offseason. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By Conor Ryan

January 4, 2024

2 minutes to read

It remains to be seen if Bill Belichick will be coaching from another sideline in 2024.

But one thing does seem to be certain this offseason — Trent Brown will be on the move.

Brown reportedly has not shied away from letting his discontent with the Patriots’ organization be heard, according to a far-reaching article from The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed chronicling the dysfunction that played into the 2023 Patriots’ downfall.

“In December, ahead of the team’s road finale, [Bill] Belichick ruled out starting left tackle Trent Brown as a healthy scratch,” Callahan and Kyed wrote. “Brown had dealt with knee and ankle injuries in late October, and had his mind on free agency. After a surprising upset at Pittsburgh, Brown openly discussed plans to play for an NFC team in the team locker room.”

Sunday’s healthy-scratch designation for Brown against the Bills had major fiscal consequences. According to @Patscap, the veteran tackle will not earn any of his $6.5 million in playing-time incentives after missing that game in Buffalo.

Kyed reported on Sunday that New England has had issues with keeping Brown motivated since he lost money via playing time incentives. Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal added more insight into Brown’s standing within New England’s locker room that same day.

“Internally, I’m told, there was belief Brown could have returned before (Week 12) and did not,” Giardi wrote. “The belief was that he was protecting himself and his future earnings in a season without the promise of a postseason. With the number of players on the roster who were playing through injuries — including those on the offensive line — needless to say, that hasn’t gone over very well.”

When healthy and engaged, Brown has the skillset to anchor an O-line as an elite left tackle. But the 30-year-old veteran has been far from a sure bet this season, especially after getting hampered by several injuries during New England’s loss to the Dolphins on Oct. 29.

Even if Brown and the Patriots didn’t reportedly burn any bridges this season, a case can be made that Brown’s unreliability makes him a free agent not worth investing in with a sizable contract this winter.

But based on these latest reports, it seems like the Patriots won’t have to weigh such a decision in the coming months.