Patriots acquisition of Trent Brown shows that we know literally nothing

The New England Patriots traded with the San Francisco 49ers for right tackle Trent Brown, which goes to show how little we know of what’s taking place in the mind of Bill Belichick.

The Patriots selected offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall pick in the first round and that led many, including myself, to conclude that the team addressed their need at tackle with a player that doesn’t fit into Belichick’s prototypes.

But then it was reported that the team wanted to trade up for center Frank Ragnow and perhaps the future for Wynn is actually on the interior of the Patriots line and not at tackle. That would create an interior depth chart of Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Isaiah Wynn, and Ted Karras or Cole Croston.

And then perhaps Marcus Cannon, LaAdrian Waddle, Tony Garcia, and Brown will create the Patriots offensive tackle depth chart, with Waddle and Garcia on the left side and Cannon and Brown on the right side.

Brown was one of the best pass blocking right tackles in the NFL prior to his injury, with Denver Broncos All Pro pass rusher Von Miller calling Brown “the best right tackle in the National Football League, and he may even be a top-five tackle, period, in the National Football League.”

The problem with Brown has been his work ethic and inability to control his weight. If the Patriots can do that- and they have a history of doing that with players like Vince Wilfork, Alan Branch, and Marcus Cannon- they will have solved a major hole on the offensive line and seriously bolstered their depth.

But the acquisition of Brown shows how quickly everything about a team’s roster makeup can change over night, how needs can quickly be filled (and potentially over-filled), and how Bill Belichick is always many steps ahead of the rest of us.