Report: Patriots Allowing Brandon Browner To Explore Value Around NFL

Over the weekend, as NFL teams threw extravagant contracts at free-agent cornerbacks, it appeared the New England Patriots got a steal in Brandon Browner last offseason.

They might not view it that way, however.

The Patriots would like to restructure Browner’s contract and are allowing him to “explore his value” around the NFL, a team source told the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe on Monday. The Patriots owe Browner a $2 million roster bonus Tuesday at 4 p.m., and the veteran cornerback would count $4.8 million against the salary cap for 2015.

The Patriots could cut or trade Browner without taking a cap hit. Browner could receive an even larger contract on the open market, since similar veteran defensive backs signed for between $7.5 million to $8 million annually over the weekend. Browner signed a three-year, $16.8 million contract as he was facing a four-game suspension to start the 2014 season.

The Patriots could be allowing Browner to test his market in anticipation of possibly losing fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis. If Revis signs with another team, then the Patriots likely would need to switch their defense from the Cover-1 man they ran in 2014 to a Cover-2 zone, which doesn’t fit Browner’s skill set.

The Patriots have just under 24 hours to decide whether they will pick up or decline Browner’s $2 million roster bonus. If they believe Revis will come back, then Browner’s $4.8 million cap hit shouldn’t be difficult to absorb. Things could get tricky if the Patriots aren’t sure if Revis will be back by 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Thumbnail photo via Stephan Savoia/Associated Press