New England Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown has had a difficult last couple of weeks. However, team captain Matthew Slater, who is an influential leader in the locker room, has Brown’s back.
Slater offered praise to Brown during a recent radio appearance on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego with Arcand,” as translated by NESN’s Zack Cox.
“Look, I’m not in the room with the linemen or the offense, but Trent has been a stand-up guy,” Slater said, “He’s come into work. He’s come in ready and prepared. He worked hard this offseason.
“Obviously, he was playing some really good football in the early portion of the year and unfortunately had some injuries, but I have no issues with Trent. I enjoy being around him, I’ve enjoyed playing with him and that’s all I can really say.”
Brown was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills. Coach Bill Belichick kept things close to the vest and did not offer a reason as to why Brown was a scratch. However, there was a report that Brown purposely chose not to return when healthy because he was “protecting himself and his future earnings”.
It’s been a rough season overall for Brown, who has sat out four of the last eight games for the Patriots. He is a pending free agent set to hit the market in March.
It’s been a roller coaster of a season for Brown and the Patriots’ organization as a whole. Brown has been a key part of New England’s offensive line when healthy.
His status with the team heading into 2024 will be one of many storylines to keep an eye on in a busy offseason.
