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Trent Brown might’ve been liking social media posts a few months ago about bringing Tom Brady back to New England, but that doesn’t mean he’s out on his current quarterback.
While out and about in Los Angeles, the big tackle made sure to shout out Mac Jones while catching up with TMZ Sports, saying he “loves” the now-third-year quarterback.
That praise is nothing new for Brown, who has frequently expressed confidence in Jones’ leadership abilities and was one of many Patriots to respond to Jones’ rare post-season Instagram post last month. But it’s certainly welcome after a year that saw the young quarterback come under fire for struggles on the field and outbursts toward the coaching staff, all of which stemmed from internal dysfunction due to the team’s coaching setup.
As for Jones’ critics, which have included Patriots legends Vince Wilfork and Julian Edelman, Brown isn’t giving them the time of day.
"They don't really matter," Brown said. "Really, nobody outside of that building matters. It's all about who's in that locker room and who comes to work for us every day. That's it."
As for the team’s fortunes going forward after four straight seasons without a playoff win, the veteran tackle asked fans to “stick with us,” adding that he doesn’t believe the Patriots will stay down much longer.
The hope is that New England’s offense will rebound on offense thanks to the return of Bill O’Brien and a generally more competent offensive coaching staff than what was in place last season.
Brown, at the moment, figures to be part of that. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team add more competition at tackle via free agency or the draft. What’s more: Brown’s place on the Patriots isn’t exactly guaranteed – the team can save $11 million by cutting him this off-season.
We’ll see if Brown gets one more chance to prove himself in Foxborough and help Jones get back on track in Year 3.