New England Patriots fans can expect to see a slimmed-down version of Trent Brown this season.
Brown, the Patriots’ 6-foot-8 offensive tackle, said in an interview with GQ that he hopes to be down to 355 pounds by the end of training camp.
Of course, 355 pounds isn’t exactly “light.” Brown still will be one of the largest men on the field in every game he plays. But it’s a significant drop from his listed weight of 380 pounds, and Brown hopes that change will both make him more explosive and help him avoid the calf injuries that have plagued him in recent years.
“I think dropping 20 pounds definitely goes a long way as far as mobility and helping the way my body moves,” Brown told GQ. “I’ve always been an explosive guy, but I feel like I’m that much quicker and lighter on my feet now. My cardiovascular health is definitely better with just not carrying the extra 20 pounds around.
“By the end of camp, I hope to be at around 355. That would be great — it will give myself some leeway between my weight goal and their weight goal for me, so I won’t have to be strict as hell on myself throughout the season. I can live a normal life and afford a cheat meal here and there and enjoy myself — especially when family visits.”
Brown, who sat out most of the first half of last season with a calf issue, has been a full participant in each of the first eight training camp practices and has looked dominant at times.
The Patriots flipped their starting tackles this offseason, moving Brown from right to left and Isaiah Wynn from left to right. Brown started every game at left tackle during New England’s 2018 Super Bowl run but has missed 23 games in the three years since — a trend he hopes his weight loss will help reverse.
With five weeks to go before the start of the regular season, Brown said he feels fully healthy and “as mobile as I’ve been since I was a kid, probably.”
“I’m ready to go,” Brown, who has weight incentives built into his contract, told GQ. “I crushed all my contractually binding weight goals, and I’m working to get even lower. As far as I’m feeling physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually — I’m ready for the season. I’m ready to go all the way, be on the field for 17 games and hopefully 20.”
NESN.com’s coverage of New England Patriots preseason is presented by Cross Insurance, protecting your team since 1954.
