After taking offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots have added another piece as they rebuild their offensive line. The Patriots announced on Friday that they acquired tackle Trent Brown from the San Francisco 49ers. According to NFL.com, the Patriots shipped the No. 95 pick in this year’s NFL Draft to the 49ers for the 6-foot-8, 355-pound Brown and a No. 143 pick. The 25-year-old Brown will give the Patriots an outstanding pass-blocker if he’s healthy. Brown recently underwent shoulder surgery and reported to the 49ers mini-camp out of shape.
A seventh-round pick by the 49ers in 2015, Brown started 26 games the last two years at right tackle. However, he became expendable when the 49ers selected Mike McGlinchey with the No. 9 pick to pair with bookend Joe Staley.
The Patriots lost two of their key offensive linemen to free agency after Nate Solder signed with the New York Giants, while Cameron Fleming joined the Dallas Cowboys. Recently, the Patriots signed offensive tackle Matt Tobin to a one-year deal. Tobin previously played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks in his first five years in the NFL. With the trade, the Patriots only have the No. 63 pick in the second round before they select again at No. 143.
49ers sign safety to extension
The 49ers made another move as they signed safety Jaquiski Tartt to a two-year contract extension that will keep him in the Bay Area through the 2020 season. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network Insider, the 49ers signed Tartt to a contract extension worth $13 million. The deal’s amount could go up to $15 million with incentives, according to Rapoport’s source.
A second-round pick by the 49ers in 2015, Tartt played in 39 games for the team before he suffered a season-ending broken forearm. Explaining their decision to sign Tartt to an extension, San Francisco general manager John Lynch said the safety is a natural fit in the 49ers’ defensive system.
Seahawks ink free agent cornerback
Free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell will return for the third time to Seattle as he signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks. Acccording to Rapoport, Maxwell signed a one-year contract worth $3 million. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Maxwell will help fill the void left by the departure of star cornerback Richard Sherman, who signed with the 49ers after he was released by the team. A sixth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2011, the 30-year-old Maxwell played four seasons in Seattle. He played for the Eagles in 2015 before he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2016. The Dolphins cut Maxwell in 2017 before the Seahawks signed him to a one-year deal. Last season, he played in seven games with six starts for the Seahawks. In his career, Maxwell has played 83 games with 52 starts. During that span, he tallied 245 tackles, 11 interceptions, 59 passes defended, and 11 forced fumbles.
