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The New England Patriots (1-2) sabotaged themselves in Sunday’s 21-14 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, wasting a strong defensive effort against Aaron Rodgers and company. Nevertheless, this team could still use added depth in the secondary amid star cornerback Christian Gonzalez’s lingering hamstring injury. The Pats considered acquiring a player to fill that exact need, but they ultimately missed out on the opportunity.
Before the New York Jets acquired CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday, New England inquired about the second-year talent out of Florida State and Louisville, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It only took a Day 3 pick swap to get a deal done, so one has to wonder if the Patriots chose to make any offer at all.
Brownlee recorded one interception, nine pass breakups and seven tackles for loss last season and was making great strides on run defense in the early portion of the 2025-26 campaign. His coverage skills leave a lot to be desired, however. The former fifth-rounder has allowed a 124.6 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus, and has already committed three penalties. While the promise is noticeable, he still has much to work on before becoming a reliable corner in this league.
The Patriots are one of the teams that could afford to take a chance on Brownlee, considering that they remain outside the realm of relevance for the time being. Perhaps the 24-year-old would have progressed nicely under head coach Mike Vrabel. There is no time for “what could have beens,” though. The squad must immediately become more disciplined after a turnover-filled showing in Gillette Stadium in Week 3. This season is supposed to mark clear growth.
That has not been the case thus far. Maybe a meeting with the Carolina Panthers (1-2) will allow New England to play a more respectable brand of football. An active Christian Gonzalez would presumably increase the likelihood of that happening.
Meanwhile, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. will begin his next chapter when the winless Jets collide with the winless Miami Dolphins in Hard Rock Stadium.
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