Saints trade Malcom Brown to Jaguars

The Saints have found a trade partner for Malcom Brown after all. New Orleans is sending the defensive lineman to the Jaguars, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

We first heard about two weeks ago that the team was shopping Brown. Then we heard last week that the Saints were planning on releasing him after apparently finding no takers. The Jags seemingly swooped in at the last minute to avoid a release, and Saints GM Mickey Loomis was rewarded for his patience.

Brown had been set to make about $5M with the Saints in 2021, but now after this deal the Jags are giving him a new two-year contract worth $11M with $8M guaranteed, Rapoport tweets. Brown went from almost getting cut to now getting a new team, a raise and some more security.

New Orleans signed Brown to a three-year deal worth $15M in March 2019. The last pick of the first round by the Patriots back in 2015, Brown was solid enough but never lived up to his draft pedigree, and New England declined his fifth-year option. He started 29 games for the Saints the past two years and will likely be a big part of Urban Meyer’s run defense in Jacksonville.

It’s yet another veteran addition for the Jaguars, who have been busy the past 24 hours. They just signed receiver Marvin Jones Jr, and have already added guys like cornerback Shaquill Griffin, defensive tackle Tyson Alualu and safety Rayshawn Jenkins to the defense.