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    Report: Former Patriots DT Malcom Brown, Saints Agree to 3-Year, $15M Contract

    Rob Goldberg@TheRobGoldbergFeatured ColumnistMarch 14, 2019

    New England Patriots defensive tackle Malcom Brown (90) jogs off the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars won 31-20. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
    Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

    The New Orleans Saints will reportedly sign defensive tackle Malcom Brown to a three-year deal worth $15 million, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 

    Brown spent the past four years with the New England Patriots after being drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. He appeared in 60 regular-season games during this stretch, starting 51 of them.

    Pro Football Focus provided a breakdown of the tackle's career to this point:

    Pro Football Focus @PFF

    Malcom Brown played at least 500 snaps in each of his first four seasons with the Patriots, and finished 3 of his 4 seasons with plus-grades overall, joining New Orleans on the heels of the lowest-graded season of his career. https://t.co/CtZ1ZegzsN

    The negative grade likely came from his limited impact in the pass rush. Brown had at least 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hits in each of his first three seasons but didn't get a single sack in 2018, totaling just one quarterback hit.

    Still, he was a key player throughout the year for New England, starting in the Super Bowl LIII win over the Los Angeles Rams. It was his second championship in his young career.

    Considering he is still just 25 years old, he should continue to improve and potentially gain more consistency going forward.

    This will be big for the Saints, who could potentially line Brown up either next to Sheldon Rankins or in place of him after he suffered an Achilles injury last season.

    Report: Former Patriots DT Malcom Brown, Saints Agree to 3-Year, $15M Contract
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    John Hendrix @JohnJHendrix

    DT was a big need for the Saints, and Malcom Brown should see immediate action

    Mike Clay @MikeClayNFL

    Malcom Brown's addition is pretty huge for the Saints with Sheldon Rankins recovering from a torn Achilles. He's a strong PUP candidate. At DT now, they have those two, Onyemata, Stallworth and Tomasi Laulile

    The Saints had the No. 3 offense in the NFL but just the No. 14 defense in 2018, so an improvement on that side of the ball could help bring the team closer to elite status as the squad tries to contend for a championship.