The New England Patriots are expected to add a new wide receiver to provide Tom Brady with another weapon on offense. According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Patriots and free-agent wide receiver Kenny Britt are already close to an agreement. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network Insider said Britt is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Patriots that will keep him with the team until 2018. Britt became a free-agent after he was released by the Cleveland Browns less than one year into the four-year, $32.5 million deal that he signed with the team in the offseason.

The contract included guaranteed money amounting to $17 million. The Browns were hoping that Britt could duplicate or even surpass his outstanding season with the Los Angeles Rams, where he caught 68 passes for 1,002 yards and five touchdowns. However, Britt failed to live up to expectations as he caught just 18 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns in nine games with the Browns.

Britt ran into trouble with Browns

During his stint with the Browns, Britt ran into disciplinary trouble after he and fellow wideout Corey Coleman missed the team curfew and were sent home before their 33-17 loss to the Houston Texans on October 15. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com said the incident had the Browns thinking of cutting Britt.

The Browns kept Britt but decided to cut him one day after the team hired new general manager John Dorsey, who replaced the fired Sashi Brown. Upon signing Britt, Browns head coach was hoping that the veteran wideout could lead the team’s young receiving corps.

With the Patriots, Britt will get the chance to prove that his last season’s performance with the Rams was not a fluke.

However, Britt must learn the Patriots’ playoff quickly so he can develop good on-field chemistry with New England signal-caller Tom Brady. Britt can emerge as a serious red-zone threat for the Patriots, who just came from a 27-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday. Britt could become the Patriots’ third or fourth option at wide receiver, behind Brandin Cooks, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan.

Britt a former first-round pick

Britt was a first-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2009 out of Rutgers. He played five seasons with the Titans, starting 30 games, before playing three seasons with the Rams where he emerged as a full-time starting wideout. In 113 career NFL games, Britt caught 337 passes for 5,114 yards and 32 touchdowns.
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