Getty Trent Brown #77 of the New England Patriots walks off the field.
T
rent Brown might have a new contract with the New England Patriots but it comes with plenty of strings attached to it.
The offensive lineman signed a new two-year deal worth $13 million. Only $4 million of the deal is guaranteed.
Brown is entering his eighth season in the NFL. In 2021, he only appeared in nine games.
With the majority of Brown’s contract not being guaranteed, there will be a lot of incentives that are a part of a deal. Some of them have to deal with Brown’s weight.
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On Sunday, ESPN Insider Mike Reiss revealed that the offensive lineman’s contract features a $750,000 weight bonus in 2022 and 2023.
Brown will receive $150,000 on the first day of the offseason program if he weighs in at 385 pounds or less. If he weighs 375 pounds or less on June 1 he will earn an additional $75,000 and he will earn the same amount on July 15 if he weighs 365 pounds or less.
Also every week during the season, Brown has the opportunity to earn an additional $25,000 a week if he weighs 365 pounds or less.
Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 380 pounds, according to the New England Patriots’ official roster, Brown is one of the larger players in the NFL.
A Checkered (Injury) Past
Unfortunately for Brown, his career has been filled with injuries. While he is entering his ninth season in the NFL, he has only played in 72 games. That’s an average of nine games played per season.
The 6-foot-8 lineman has had to deal with injuries since the start of his career. After starting all 16 games for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, he only started 10 games the following year due to a shoulder injury that put him on Injured Reserve.
Brown also was forced to be placed on Injured Reserve List in 2019 just a day after he earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
Last year with the Patriots, Brown suffered a calf injury in Week 1.
Other Incentives
Brown also has other incentives that he will be looking to hit. He can earn $500,000 if he participates in 65% of offensive snaps, and an additional $500,000 at 70%.
After that, Brown can earn an additional $750,000 if he eclipses 75%, 80%, 85% and 90% of offensive snaps. If he reaches 95% of snaps or is selected to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot, he can earn an additional $500,000.
With Mac Jones entering his second season in the NFL, he will need as much protection as he can get. In his rookie season, Jones took way too many hits. The quarterback was sacked 28 times in 2021. Having a healthy Brown would do wonders in terms of keeping Jones upright.
New England will also have some big shoes to fill in 2022. After trading away Shaq Mason, Jones may be forced to get rid of the ball quicker than he would like.
So there is plenty of money to be made by Brown. All he has to do is stay healthy and reach the weight goals set before him. If he is able to do that, the team, the player, and the fans will all be happy that he returned to New England.