The New England Patriots made some investment in their safety group last week. Besides signing All-Pro Kevin Byard to a one-year deal, they also brought in another ex-Titan, Mike Brown, on a deal that spans only the 2026 season.
Instant grades: Patriots sign S Mike Brown
Bernd Buchmasser: Brown’s defensive exposure has been limited throughout his career, but he projects to compete for a core special teams role. Getting a player like that at a cost-efficient contract is certainly not the worst way to spend your resources. | Grade: C
Matt St. Jean: Add Mike Brown to the list of former Mike Vrabel players rejoining their head coach. Brown should be fighting for a depth role at safety and a starting role on special teams, where he joins players like Dell Pettus and Brenden Schooler. | Grade: C+
Pat Lane: Another familiar face for the Patriots and Mike Vrabel. He’s probably not going to play a ton, but he’s a decent depth option who can also play special teams. Vrabel obviously wants guys that he’s familiar with and can trust on the back end of the roster, and Smith fits that bill. | Grade: C
What do you think about the Patriots signing Mike Brown? Do you like the move? Do you not? And how would you grade it? Please head down to the comment section to discuss.