The New England Patriots are keeping veteran safety Mike Brown around after giving him a significant special teams role in back-to-back games.
New England promoted Brown from the practice squad to its 53-man roster on Thursday, Oct. 8, according to Ethan Hurwitz of Patriots On SI.
The move comes after Brown was elevated for each of the Patriots’ past two games against Jacksonville and Buffalo. He made the most of the latest opportunity, emerging as one of New England’s primary special teams contributors in the 29-26 win over the Bills.
Brown’s promotion also fills one of the roster openings created during a busy stretch of transactions for New England. The Patriots released linebacker Jose Ramirez from the 53-man roster on Oct. 6, per the team’s official announcement.
Brown Earned Bigger Patriots Role Against Bills
Brown logged 42 special teams snaps and 12 defensive snaps across his two elevations against Jacksonville and Buffalo.
His workload jumped significantly in Buffalo.
Brown played 88% of New England’s special teams snaps against the Bills, tying for the team lead. He also recorded an assisted tackle as the Patriots handed Buffalo its first loss of the season.
That workload came with Brenden Schooler on the non-football injury list and Dell Pettus on injured reserve. Schooler returned to practice this week, but the Patriots’ injury report notes he is not eligible to play against Las Vegas.
There is uncertainty elsewhere in the secondary, too. Safety Craig Woodson was limited Wednesday with a shoulder injury, while multiple Patriots cornerbacks were either absent or limited.
That makes Brown’s ability to contribute in multiple phases helpful going into Week 5.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound safety has appeared in 40 career games with five starts, according to his Patriots player bio. He has recorded 62 tackles and two passes defended during stops with Cleveland, Tennessee and New England.
Brown Reunited With Mike Vrabel in New England
Brown’s history with head coach Mike Vrabel predates his arrival in Foxborough.
The veteran spent three seasons in Tennessee, including the 2023 campaign under Vrabel. The Patriots identified him as an early candidate for their third safety job heading into training camp after signing him in March.
Patriots.com called Brown an “early favorite” for the rotational third-safety role behind Woodson and Kevin Byard III.
He didn’t initially win a spot on the 53-man roster. New England released Brown at the Aug. 30 cutdown deadline before bringing him back on the practice squad the following day.
His return to the active roster shows how that pecking order can change in a snap.
The Patriots first elevated Brown for their Week 3 trip to Jacksonville, when he played on defense and special teams. They called him up again ahead of Buffalo, and his increased workload there appears to have helped earn him a permanent spot.
New England hosts the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Gillette Stadium. With Schooler still unavailable and the secondary carrying several injuries, Brown could remain part of the game-day special teams plan.
New England Patriots Promote 218-Pound Safety Ahead of Raiders Game