Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots’ safety corps will be looking quite a bit different in 2026. But while most of the attention at the position this offseason rightfully went to All-Pro Kevin Byard being signed in free agency to effectively replace Jaylinn Hawkins in the starting lineup, that was not the only notable move.
The Patriots also signed former Titan Mike Brown to a one-year contract. While almost exclusively a special teamer last season, Brown might actually have more to offer.
Name: Mike Brown
Position: Safety
Jersey number: 33
Opening day age: 27 (4/7/1999)
Measurements: 6’0 5/8”, 218 lbs, 9 5/8” hand size, 31 1/2” arm length, 4.59s 40-yard dash, 7.00s 3-cone drill, 4.34s short shuttle, 33” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump, 18 bench press reps, 8.25 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Minnesota Vikings (2022), Green Bay Packers (2022), Cleveland Browns (2022), Tennessee Titans (2022-25), New England Patriots (2026-) | College: Miami (OH) (2017-21)
A two-star recruit out of Catholic Central in Grand Rapids, MI, Brown spent his college career at Miami University. In five seasons as a Redhawk, the do-it-all defensive back appeared in 53 games with 39 starts and registered four interceptions as well as a pair of fumble recoveries. He played 2,600 defensive snaps in his college career as well as 701 more on special teams.
Despite his immense experience and versatile skillset, Brown went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft. He failed to find a permanent home in both Minnesota and Green Bay before joining the Browns’ practice squad in October of his rookie season. After being elevated to the game day roster on three separate occasions, the Titans poached him off Cleveland’s developmental roster in January and ended up holding onto him for the next three seasons.
During that time, Brown established himself as a core special teamer and rotational safety. As such, he added 35 more in-game appearances to his résumé, including his first five career starts. He joined the Patriots on a one-year, $1.35 million contract in March 2026.
Strengths: Standing at 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds, Brown is a well-sized athlete who has the requisite athleticism to succeed in the NFL. His range and quickness are both adequate, while he has the strength and grip power to get ball carries down in 1-on-1 tackling situations. In general, his tackling in the NFL has been very good and he has shown tremendous strides improving from a 16.2% missed tackle rate in college to just 3.2% since turning pro. Brown showcases some good physicality and is not afraid to get his hands dirty in run support, on special teams, or however else he is used.
Weaknesses: Brown is a decent athlete across the board but he lacks any true standout traits in terms of his size or speed. This, in turn, can put him at a disadvantage in coverage situations against bigger tight ends or quicker running backs; he also lacks the first-step acceleration to make up for lost...
