Bills Linebacker Preston Brown interested in signing with Patriots

[long distance]

With LB seen among top needs by many (not the top priority in my book FWIW) . maybe we should keep watch here.

Zach Brown was top desire last year (besides keeping High) . Preston is at the top of my list this year so it is interesting to see Pats are looking (if true) . might be a bit rich bidding war (w BUF rep. wanting him back) but unlike last year its a solid LB FA and a deep draft

Most importantly - if Bill wants to have something he gets it when available - esp. if its from Bills



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Article: LB Preston Brown open to being next Bills player to leave for Patriots

Brown, who had 144 tackles last season, fits an obvious offseason need for the Patriots. And Bill Belichick is familiar with the middle linebacker after a pre-draft workout at Louisville in 2014, when Brown was selected in the third round.

“It’s a little weird,” Brown said of his ex-teammates thriving for their AFC East rivals. “I’m not going to sit here and lie like, ‘Oh well.’ You’re happy for them, but you’re also like, all right, every time somebody goes to the Patriots, they’re going to the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl. It’s something you feel. A lot of guys left the last year, and it seemed like everybody who left us was going to the playoffs — (Rams wide receivers) Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, (49ers receiver) Marquise Goodwin. Everybody who left had a good season. It’s definitely something you look at like, wow, those guys are having success. But the Patriots, they definitely seem to get the best out of the Buffalo Bills.”

“I think I can definitely help the young guys they have there now,” Brown told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “They’ve got some good young talent at linebacker. They run pretty well. I know (David) Harris retired. A lot of young guys were playing well, (Kyle) Van Noy and (Elandon Roberts) played well. They definitely have some things they can work on like we all do, but I think I can help that defense get better.”

“Anytime you can play for one of the best franchises in NFL history, it’s obviously going to be an option,” Brown told Howe. “They definitely have great players. I met with the coaching staff coming out of college. I have some familiarity with those guys, and they definitely do a great job each and every year of continuing to win 13, 14, 16 games.”

 

[Bradyking12]

Bills Linebacker Preston Brown Interested In Signing With Patriots

 

[WaterfallJumper]

With LB seen among top needs by many (not the top priority in my book FWIW) . maybe we should keep watch here.

Zach Brown was top desire last year (besides keeping High) . Preston is at the top of my list this year so it is interesting to see Pats are looking (if true) . might be a bit rich bidding war (w BUF rep. wanting him back) but unlike last year its a solid LB FA and a deep draft

Most importantly - if Bill wants to have something he gets it when available - esp. if its from Bills



____

Article: LB Preston Brown open to being next Bills player to leave for Patriots

Brown, who had 144 tackles last season, fits an obvious offseason need for the Patriots. And Bill Belichick is familiar with the middle linebacker after a pre-draft workout at Louisville in 2014, when Brown was selected in the third round.

“It’s a little weird,” Brown said of his ex-teammates thriving for their AFC East rivals. “I’m not going to sit here and lie like, ‘Oh well.’ You’re happy for them, but you’re also like, all right, every time somebody goes to the Patriots, they’re going to the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl. It’s something you feel. A lot of guys left the last year, and it seemed like everybody who left us was going to the playoffs — (Rams wide receivers) Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, (49ers receiver) Marquise Goodwin. Everybody who left had a good season. It’s definitely something you look at like, wow, those guys are having success. But the Patriots, they definitely seem to get the best out of the Buffalo Bills.”

“I think I can definitely help the young guys they have there now,” Brown told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “They’ve got some good young talent at linebacker. They run pretty well. I know (David) Harris retired. A lot of young guys were playing well, (Kyle) Van Noy and (Elandon Roberts) played well. They definitely have some things they can work on like we all do, but I think I can help that defense get better.”

“Anytime you can play for one of the best franchises in NFL history, it’s obviously going to be an option,” Brown told Howe. “They definitely have great players. I met with the coaching staff coming out of college. I have some familiarity with those guys, and they definitely do a great job each and every year of continuing to win 13, 14, 16 games.”

I'd love to see Brown here. That would be a smart signing and would give us some flexibility in the draft. Hightower, Brown, Van Noy is a strong 1-2-3, and would help bring more athleticism to the field.

 

[Ross12]

That would be a great signing at a position that really couple use some talent. Imagine fielding Hightower/Brown/Van Noy as the top 3 LBs? They still need to improve the pass rush, but hopefully some contributions from Rivers and development from both Wise and A. Butler will help there. Plus, having a guy like Brown at LB can free up Hightower to rush the passer, which he's quite good at (see Super Bowl LI game-changing sack).

The safety position is still very good at the top (McCourty/Chung/Harmon might be the best top 3 in the league at safety), and Gilmore turned the corner into becoming an elite CB in the postseason. Losing M. Butler will clearly hurt, but Rowe isn't bad and I think Jonathan Jones can be pretty good too with a bigger role. Plus, Cyrus Jones still exists and they have some developmental talent on the PS. With a defense-focused draft and an addition like Preston Brown, the defense could turn it around pretty quick.

 

[Snooky97]

That would be a great signing at a position that really couple use some talent. Imagine fielding Hightower/Brown/Van Noy as the top 3 LBs? They still need to improve the pass rush, but hopefully some contributions from Rivers and development from both Wise and A. Butler will help there. Plus, having a guy like Brown at LB can free up Hightower to rush the passer, which he's quite good at (see Super Bowl LI game-changing sack).

The safety position is still very good at the top (McCourty/Chung/Harmon might be the best top 3 in the league at safety), and Gilmore turned the corner into becoming an elite CB in the postseason. Losing M. Butler will clearly hurt, but Rowe isn't bad and I think Jonathan Jones can be pretty good too with a bigger role. Plus, Cyrus Jones still exists and they have some developmental talent on the PS. With a defense-focused draft and an addition like Preston Brown, the defense could turn it around pretty quick.

The other thing to take into consideration is that having Brown, we could even blitz HT even more..

 

[Ivan]

Would love to see it happen.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

lets make it 3 bills 3 years in a row!

 

[ausbacker]

The Pats recent woes at Linebacker makes you, all the more, appreciate what they had in the Bruschi, Vrabel, McGinest, Phifer, Johnson era.

 

[Jackson 2]

Can't be true. Elandon Collins, Lane Johnson and Rob Gronkowski all say the coaching is too hard here. Weenies...

 

[Flash]

Is he good? Bills fans say he's basically a durable Brandon Spikes so he's not very good (but then again, Bills fans said Hogan and Gilmore weren't very good either...).

 

[Love The Drake]

Is he good? Bills fans say he's basically a durable Brandon Spikes so he's not very good (but then again, Bills fans said Hogan and Gilmore weren't very good either...).

Could of used some Brandon Spikes in the superbowl.
I want defenders with a mean streak.

 

[Jackson 2]

Could of used some Brandon Spikes in the superbowl.
I want defenders with a mean streak.

"of"

 

[Love The Drake]

Can't be true. Elandon Collins, Lane Johnson and Rob Gronkowski all say the coaching is too hard here. Weenies...

I think this crap being leaked by Curran and Lane Johnson's comments will really affect free agents who don't really know Bill.
Nobody wants to be miserable at their jobs even if It isn't true the perception is out there it could negatively impact us.
If you hear of us going hard after a free agent and he signs elsewhere for close to the same money then damage was done.
If money is Gronks motivation pay him.
If it's a more laid back environment then trade him.
I'm sorry to say that but that's pretty much how it has to be.
We know Bills not changing his recipe for success and who knows if Josh will be more laid back.
The Rams make sense if he really wants to have a pitch in Hollywood and they have a young coach who is suppose to be fun.
You should be able to get a 1st at least but I'd ask for a 1st and Robert Quinn.
This would hypothetically make the Rams favorite in the NFC.

 

[Marqui]

Anyone know if he's good in coverage?

 

[Jackson 2]

I think this crap being leaked by Curran and Lane Johnson's comments will really affect free agents who don't really know Bill.
Nobody wants to be miserable at their jobs even if It isn't true the perception is out there it could negatively impact us.
If you hear of us going hard after a free agent and he signs elsewhere for close to the same money then damage was done.
If money is Gronks motivation pay him.
If it's a more laid back environment then trade him.
I'm sorry to say that but that's pretty much how it has to be.
We know Bills not changing his recipe for success and who knows if Josh will be more laid back.
The Rams make sense if he really wants to have a pitch in Hollywood and they have a young coach who is suppose to be fun.
You should be able to get a 1st at least but I'd ask for a 1st and Robert Quinn.
This would hypothetically make the Rams favorite in the NFC.

Bull s###. If money is Gronk's motivation he should come out now publicly and say hard coaching has nothing to do with it and that he thinks he's worth more money. Cloaking this in some feeble claim his feelings are hurt is incredibly disingenuous, at least to me.

 

[Tunescribe]

Trade Gillislee for him.

 

[PittPatriot]

The whole hood wants us.

 

[Love The Drake]

Gill might be a big contributor next season.
Lewis isn't walking thru that door unless it's market value.
We know how Bill feels about market value and running backs.
Caserios comment was you can't keep everybody then threw a heap of praise on White.
I would bet Lewis will be in a different jersey and my guess is Dolphins Bucs or Giants.
His comment about his family in NY made me go hmm saying it was almost perfect to be a few hours away.
I'd say Jets but I don't think he'd sign there and looking at the Dolphins and Bucs it's Florida.

 

[maineman209]

Is he good? Bills fans say he's basically a durable Brandon Spikes so he's not very good (but then again, Bills fans said Hogan and Gilmore weren't very good either...).

Has averaged 126 total tackles per year for four years. Led the league with 144 in 2017 (50 more tackles than the next two Bills who were the safeties).

Hasn't missed a game yet in his career, and started all of them but two (his rookie season).

Availability and tackling ability are pretty much the two top traits needed in the LB group at the moment, not to mention four seasons and 4,250 snaps of NFL experience at MLB/ILB. As I posted elsewhere, the four players who covered the vast majority of LB snaps for the Pats in 2017 had a grand total of 998 NFL snaps on defense combined entering the 2017 season.

Oh, yeah. He also regularly plays on 2-3 of the "big four" ST units.

He's ~6'1"/250+. He turns 26 in October.

 

[Jackson 2]

Is he good? Bills fans say he's basically a durable Brandon Spikes so he's not very good (but then again, Bills fans said Hogan and Gilmore weren't very good either...).

Yes, Bills fans who learn he might want to go to NE will be totally honest in their assessment of him...