Trent Brown hopes he can be with the Patriots ‘a while this time’

Related: Trent Brown ‘never had more fun playing football’ than with the Patriots

Trent Brown likes being a member of the New England Patriots. Back in March, after the team reacquired him via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, he claimed that he never had more fun playing football than during his one previous season in New England. Following Tuesday’s training camp practice, he doubled down.

The 28-year-old said that he would be in the best mental state of his career. He gave an easy explanation why.

“It’s just being in a place where I’m wanted, you know what I’m saying?” Brown said. “Being in a place I actually want to be, and just having fun with football again. Everything is clicking on all cylinders, all parts of my life, so I’m just happy for that.”

Having started his career with the San Francisco 49ers, Brown first arrived in New England during the 2018 NFL Draft. The Patriots sent a third-round selection to the 49ers to bring him aboard, and he immediately established himself as a starter along his new team’s offensive line.

Filling the left tackle spot vacated by Nate Solder’s free agency departure, Brown went on to start all 19 games en route to winning his first Super Bowl. After the season, however, he left New England to sign a record-breaking four-year, $66 million contract with the Raiders.

Two disappointing and injury-riddled seasons later, does he regret signing with the team, maybe?

“Maybe,” he said.

“I was kind of between a rock and a hard place. Me being here for such a short period of time, and experiencing so much success, and then also being a seventh-round draft pick, I had made no money until the last two years, honestly. I’m excited to be back. Hopefully I can be here a while this time.”

When the Patriots reacquired Brown this offseason for a late-round swap in next year’s draft, he restructured his contract. As a result, he will be headed for unrestricted free agency again next spring.

Judged by his statements, however, it seems as if Brown has no intentions of leaving New England a second time. Obviously, a lot can change between now and next March, but there is little doubt that he is feeling right at home with the organization.

Brown explained why that is the case on Tuesday.

“I really enjoy being coached and I don’t mind being coached hard,” he said. “I like to know what I’m messing up. I don’t want to feel like you don’t have any knowledge for me, because then it’s just like, ‘How can I get better?’ I just want to get better. I want to be great, and I feel like attitude reflects leadership, and I feel like here the standard is set from top to bottom, and everybody falls in line and if you don’t you won’t be here. It’s as simple as that.”

Entering the 2021 season, Brown is again expected to play a considerable role for the Patriots. While Isaiah Wynn is locked into the left tackle spot this time around, the offseason addition will fill the right-side spot of the line moving forward.

Ideally, he will remain there beyond this season.