The New England Patriots secondary will look very different next season thanks to the addition of two new faces to the team.
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The Patriots reportedly agreed to a one-year, $9 million contract with All-Pro safety Kevin Byard. That move is important as Jaylinn Hawkins will reportedly sign a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Byard is an upgrade over Hawkins, but he’s not the only safety the Patriots added.
The Patriots also reportedly reached an agreement with Mike Brown. Brown is a deep addition and spent the last three seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
Last season, Brown appeared in just nine games, recording three total tackles. He played just four snaps on defense, but 191 snaps on special teams. He doesn’t appear to play a big role on defense, but his impact on special teams could be significant.
He has played 760 special teams snaps in his career. He is capable of filling in for the defense when necessary. He played 386 defensive snaps in 2024. That season, he had 49 total tackles and one pass defensed.
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Brown is not an addition that will change the landscape of the Patriots defense or special teams. However, developing depth is an important part of the offseason, and the Patriots do just that by adding Brown.
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