After already losing left guard Ted Karras in free agency, and following a trade that sent right guard Shaq Mason to Tampa Bay, the New England Patriots saw right tackle Trent Brown test the open market as well. As opposed to Karras, however, the Patriots were able to keep him in the fold: Brown was re-signed on a two-year contract.
As the details of that pact show, it is an extremely team-friendly one. Valued at $11.5 million, it is heavy on incentives and bonuses — reflecting Brown’s recent injury history while giving him the opportunity to earn significantly more than the deal’s base value.