Trent Brown is signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
According to Rapoport, the offensive lineman is signing a one-year deal after visiting the Bengals on Tuesday. Brown, who spent the last three seasons with the New England Patriots, will help protect a returning Joe Burrow.
Brown started his career with the San Francisco 49ers before going to New England in 2018. He started every game for the Super Bowl champions before signing a four-year, $66 million deal with the Raiders that made him the NFL’s highest-paid tackle.
Brown made the Pro Bowl despite playing 11 games in 2019. Injuries limited him to five games the following year before he returned to Foxborough.
After missing time again in 2021, Brown played all 17 games in 2022. However, he missed six games for the league’s No. 30 offense last season.
Yet Brown was productive when healthy. He committed just one accepted penalty (a false start) in 581 snaps, and Pro Football Focus gave the veteran the highest grade (80.2) of his career.
ESPN ranked Brown as the best remaining free agent available on Monday.
It’s the second straight offseason the Bengals landed a Pro Bowl tackle named Brown, as Orlando Brown joined the team last year. They now have two formidable tackles for an offensive line featuring another former Patriot in center Ted Karras.
Following a 9-8 season, the Bengals will look to rebound as title contenders with Burrow returning from wrist surgery. Trent Brown will also block for free-agent signing Zack Moss in 2024.