Raiders trade Trent Brown to New England Patriots for 2022 fifth-round draft pick

On March 10, 2019, the Raiders agreed to a four-year, $66 million contract with New England Patriots right tackle Trent Brown, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

On March 9, 2021, the Raiders admitted the huge deal was a mistake and cut ties with Brown, sending him back to New England for a 2022 fifth-round pick. The Las Vegas Raiders will send a 2022 seventh-round pick back to the Patriots along with Brown.

The fact that Las Vegas accepted such a meager return for Brown shows the Raiders valued his salary-cap room more than him. He was due to make more than $16 million this season, and there is no dead cap money involved.

The decision to jettison Brown was based on his lack of availability. Brown missed 16 of 32 games with the Raiders and he missed 11 games in 2020. When he did play, though, Brown was dominant. Still, there were rumblings of how much Brown wanted to be a Raider.

The fact that he accepted a re-worked deal with New England is either an indication that the Raiders didn’t want him back at a reduced rate or that Brown didn’t want to return to the Raiders at a reduced rate.

While the Raiders are freeing cap room, they do need to add right tackle to their shopping list. Right now, Brandon Parker would likely be the favorite to start, but surely, Las Vegas will add at the position.

Brown is the third starting offensive lineman the Raiders are reportedly walking away from. It has been reported they are cutting guards Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito.

While salary cap shedding has begun, there is major work to be done to replace all these former Raiders.