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A former New England Patriots first-round pick is without a job as the 2022 regular season inches closer and closer.
Defensive tackle Malcom Brown was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars per the NFL transaction wire. Brown spent a year with the Jags and tallied 57 tackles and two sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown ranked sixth in the NFL in run-stop-percentage at 11.5% among defensive linemen who played at least 100 run-stop snaps last season.
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With the move, Jacksonville saves $3 million in cap space. According to Florida Times-Union reporter Demetrius Harvey, Brown had been playing primarily with the backups’ backups for the majority of training camp.
How Did Brown Perform in New England?
After being drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by New England, Brown spent four seasons with the Patriots. He played in 60 games and racked up 186 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and three fumble recoveries.
Brown’s time in New England can be viewed as a success since he was able to win two Super Bowl rings.
After leaving New England and prior to joining the Jaguars, Brown spent two seasons with the New Orleans Saints. During his time in the NFC, the defensive tackle secured 61 tackles and three sacks in 29 games played.
Patriots Training Camp Update: Rookies Garnering Praise
One of the most important positions for the Patriots this season will be cornerback. After the departure of J.C. Jackson and the season-ending injuries to Malcolm Butler and Joejuan Williams, New England will need some players to step up.
The Patriots tried to fill this need in the draft with the selections of Marcus Jones and Jack Jones. The two rookie cornerbacks appear to be making a name for themselves as the regular season nears.
“Those guys have been locked in in the meeting rooms, asking a lot of questions and that’s what you want to see from young guys,” Jalen Mills told reporters following practice Wednesday. “You want to see young guys who don’t think that they know all the answers, even if they do, asking questions from the veteran guys, asking questions to the coaching staff and then coming out here not making the same mistake twice that they did they day before and coming out here and playing fast.”
Mills has also been doing quite well in training camp. The veteran appears to be the top corner for the Patriots and secured an interception in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Carolina Panthers.
But the cornerbacks aren’t the only ones receiving praise. Rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is also getting praised, this time by Panthers head coach Matt Rhule.
“Tyquan Thornton is an amazing football player and even better person,” Rhule stated. “Competitive. Like, the people in this community are gonna love him. He’s gonna play when he’s banged up. He’s gonna do whatever he can to help the team. I love him personally, just as a guy, but he’s also a great football player.”