Player Signing Patriots Extend Ben Brown

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Sadly, the picture isn't quite that rosy. If you look at the link below, and scroll down to "2026 Cap Totals", you'll see their number of about $62M includes the rollover from 2025. That said, it's also before any other cost-saving moves they might make. They're not tops in cap space, but they are around 12th at the moment. [They're second in the division; BUF and MIA are near the cap, while the JEST have ~$100M to waste spend.]

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/cap/_/year/2026

I think we’re in a better spot than the past few years when we were near the top in cap space. Suddenly we are a desirable team for FAs that may be willing to leave some $ on the table for chance to win.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Extending Ben Brown means the Patriots want continuity on the offensive line. It's good to secure depth there on cheap money.

I still want us to draft two more OL in our next draft. One tackle early and a guard or center late.

I hope this also means the Patriots will soon wrap up extensions for guys like Tonga and Mack Hollins. They deserve them and have played well for us.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Those days are over though. Marrone prefers hefty power rushers. This is a very different kind of lineman that Scarnecchia wanted.

Except they drafted Wilson and Campbell. Both speed guys. RAS scores of 9.98 and 9.91 respectively. Not sure where you got the Marrone prefers hefty OLmen. That is not who the Pats drafted in Marrone's first year on the job.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

Gotta welcome reasonably priced OLine depth that understands the system.

 

[upstater1]

Except they drafted Wilson and Campbell. Both speed guys. RAS scores of 9.98 and 9.91 respectively. Not sure where you got the Marrone prefers hefty OLmen. That is not who the Pats drafted in Marrone's first year on the job.

Campbell they drafted because of need and BPA. Wilson is not small for a center. Was not ticketed as a guard. He's got 15 pounds and can add more to his frame over Bradbury and Andrews.

Look at Marrone's OL through all his stops (especially Buffalo and Jacksonville). He does not do any zone blocking.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Campbell they drafted because of need and BPA. Wilson is not small for a center. Was not ticketed as a guard. He's got 15 pounds and can add more to his frame over Bradbury and Andrews.

Look at Marrone's OL through all his stops (especially Buffalo and Jacksonville). He does not do any zone blocking.

Vrabel and Josh are in charge of the offensive strategy. Marrone is not dictating the offensive approach. The OL will get more athletic like Wilson and Campbell. Let's hope the Pats let Onwenu go and sign Linderbaum.

 

[Kdo5]

Do it for V-Lowe now too until we get another Rookie up to speed.

Lowe has not been half bad since taking over. Good coaching makes a difference.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yes, the team should sign 6 all pros or more, all to team friendly contracts. If you think that the weakest position is center with Bradbury and Wilson, so be it. We can continue to use lots of cap space and draft picks at the position.

I'm all for signing a top OL. However, I think that it is downright silly to think that our weakness is at center when we have Bradbury, Wilson and Brown.

Wilson is an unknown at center and now has injury concerns.
Bradbury has stunk up the joint as a run-blocker but been better than adequate as a pass blocker.

Your insistence on being absolutely ridiculous in your responses show you can't be taken seriously. What you think is silly is completely meaningless because you have shown you have ZERO understanding of how to evaluate the O-line if you think that Bradbury (below average) and Wilson (unknown) are adequate and can't be improved upon.

 

[mgteich]

Wilson is an unknown at center and now has injury concerns.
Bradbury has stunk up the join as a run-blocker but been better than adequate as a pass blocker.

Your insistence on being absolutely ridiculous in your responses show you can't be taken seriously. What you think is silly is completely meaningless because you have shown you have ZERO understanding of how to evaluate the O-line if you think that Bradbury (below average) and Wilson (unknown) are adequate and can't be improved upon.

everyone can be improved upon

 

[DaBruinz]

Lowe has not been half bad since taking over. Good coaching makes a difference.

He's turned into an above average back-up at tackle. That being said, it's unlikely he'll stick around as some team will offer him 12-18M to be their starting LT. Especially since Dan Moore got that ridiculous deal from Tennessee..

 

[DaBruinz]

everyone can be improved upon

Not according to you. YOU think that Bradbury, Wilson and Brown aren't a weakness at center. Despite the NEGATIVE numbers for running the ball in the "A" gaps and the Left side "B" gap.

 

[DaBruinz]

I am dreaming that too. Release Onwenu to make up most of the salary cap charge. Draft a RG in R1 or R2.

That doesn't make a lot of sense when the team has needs at Edge and LB that have to both be addressed early in the draft. And that doesn't take into consideration the potential of drafting a RT if Bryant isn't the heir-apparent.

The only way you release Onwenu is if you sign both two of Linderbaum, McGovern, and David Edwards. Then you cut Onwenu and let Wilson battle it out with McGovern for the Center spot with the other taking the LG spot.

 

[DaBruinz]

Except they drafted Wilson and Campbell. Both speed guys. RAS scores of 9.98 and 9.91 respectively. Not sure where you got the Marrone prefers hefty OLmen. That is not who the Pats drafted in Marrone's first year on the job.

Neither Campbell nor Wilson are "speed guys". They are MOBILE guys. Speed and mobility are different things. Mobility deals with agility and footwork. It's those things that allow them to be effective at multiple levels and in pulling.

RAS is a COMPARISON number. It doesn't mean anything in the scheme of things and has very little bearing on how good/bad a player will be in the NFL.

 

[mgteich]

Not according to you. YOU think that Bradbury, Wilson and Brown aren't a weakness at center. Despite the NEGATIVE numbers for running the ball in the "A" gaps and the Left side "B" gap.

Almost EVERYONE could be upgraded, including everyone on the OL except Campbell.
==========
That is a completely different question to who are the weaknesses that we should make a high priority to replace. I don't think that OC is that position. IMO, that position was LG when we entered camp and when we started the season and it is still LG.

Yes, we could find value spending $20M on a top center or $12m-$15m on a lesser center. Personally, I think that would relegate Wilson to backup status since I doubt that Wilson is the long-term answer at LG. So, we really would be giving up on Wilson before giving him a chance, and all because we played him in a new position for a year,
=========
MY GUESS is that
we will NOT sign a center for $12M AAV or more. I think that we will try to see whether we have the long-term answer in Wilson with Bradbury as his backup. That was the 2025 plan. Unfortunately, all the SIX camp options at LG failed so Wilson need to start there. zI suspect that we will look to sign a LG. CAMPBELL-ADDITION-WILSON/BRADBURY/BROWN-ONWENU(or top replacement)-MOSES works better for me than adding what we will likely be able to sign at center. My guess is that the top couple of centers will likely re-sign to their
current teams or we won't be willing to be the top bidder.

I would definitely draft someone on the right-side RG and/or RT.
=========
We entered the season thinking that we had 2 core OL's for the future in Campbell and Wilson. Let's ADD to that in 2026.

 

[n1997y]

Onwenu can't move well and will keep getting slower.

Onwenu showed plenty of ability to move during the last game.

Which is it?

 

[upstater1]

Vrabel and Josh are in charge of the offensive strategy. Marrone is not dictating the offensive approach. The OL will get more athletic like Wilson and Campbell. Let's hope the Pats let Onwenu go and sign Linderbaum.

? I didn't say he was dictating offensive approach. But Marrone has a certain kind of preferred lineman. I was here in Buffalo when he was the coach and they switched to gap blocking scheme. Even last night you could see the Marrone signature, Onwenu was pulling, you saw a lot of counters, mostly power. McDaniels has used both schemes. Last we saw him, the Patriots were doing zone blocking. I tend to think Josh prefers zone blocking or a combo of the two, but he works with all of it. With the Patriots last, McD did zone. With the Raiders, he also did primarily zone, but that may have had to do with the more athletic and smaller OL he inherited.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

? I didn't say he was dictating offensive approach. But Marrone has a certain kind of preferred lineman. I was here in Buffalo when he was the coach and they switched to gap blocking scheme. Even last night you could see the Marrone signature, Onwenu was pulling, you saw a lot of counters, mostly power. McDaniels has used both schemes. Last we saw him, the Patriots were doing zone blocking. I tend to think Josh prefers zone blocking or a combo of the two, but he works with all of it. With the Patriots last, McD did zone. With the Raiders, he also did primarily zone, but that may have had to do with the more athletic and smaller OL he inherited.

Why does it matter if Marrone has a certain kind of preferred lineman? Josh is in charge of the offense. Josh is the offensive boss. Josh and Vrabel decide what offensive schemes the Pats run. I don't think Marrone's preference is important. Marrone is not making the decisions.

 

[upstater1]

Why does it matter if Marrone has a certain kind of preferred lineman? Josh is in charge of the offense. Josh is the offensive boss. Josh and Vrabel decide what offensive schemes the Pats run. I don't think Marrone's preference is important. Marrone is not making the decisions.

?? I just replied to you with Josh using zone blocking in New England and the Raiders. We're not doing zone blocking with Marrone as the OL coach.

 

[stinkypete]

Solid signing. I’m perfectly ok with Brown slotting into any IOL position in a pinch.

Now to work on upgrading Onwenu and Bradbury.

 

[Real fan 02]

Is it REALLY THAT HARD to open up a second tab and go to Patriots.com team page before posting erroneous BS?

He is 30

My bad I got the age wrong. Thank you for correcting me. I really don't know what the forum would do with out you grumpy.. I mean gumby... merry Christmas.