There’s a veteran name on the open market that could be at least mildly intriguing for the New England Patriots.

Did you know that defensive tackle Malcom Brown started and played 20 defensive snaps in Super Bowl LIII? And was credited with one pressure and two total tackles? And he also started in Super Bowl LI against the Falcons (one tackle) and Super Bowl LII against the Eagles (six tackles)? So, to an extent, Brown was a contributor to a pair of Patriots Super Bowl championships.

Obviously, Brown never came close to the standard of a first-round pick. He certainly didn’t prove to be a viable long-term replacement for Vince Wilfork, who’s going into the Patriots Hall of Fame in September. But Brown has been durable throughout his career (only seven games missed in seven seasons), and has always been a solid run-stopper on the interior, if not a star. Over-drafted, sure. Useless? No.

Now, Brown is an unrestricted free agent after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. This comes after Brown had the most productive season of his career. He started every game of the regular season for just the second time in his career, and set a new career-high in total tackles with 57. He also made two sacks, three QB hits, four tackles for loss, and batted down one pass attempt. He’s still just 28 years old.

Should the Patriots give Brown another look?

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There’s already interest in Brown elsewhere in the league. According to

The Jets tried out veteran DT Sheldon Day, recently cut by the Browns.

The Commanders tried out veteran DT Malcolm Brown, recently cut by the Jaguars.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 21, 2022" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ESPN’s Field Yates, Brown worked out for the Washington Commanders over the weekend. It’s been common for ex-Patriots to return for a second stint after playing with other teams. Brian Hoyer, Trent Brown, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Patrick Chung, and Brandon Bolden are among the most notable recent examples.

Brown would make sense for the Patriots as a depth piece on the defensive line, especially in light of their inconsistency defending the run over the past few seasons. Their projected D-line on early downs, as it stands on Monday, is with defensive tackle Davon Godchaux playing between Henry Anderson and Lawrence Guy.

Second-year pro Christian Barmore has a chance to make a huge impact as a pass-rusher in 2022, but has prioritized improving his run defense this summer. He got some reps against the run in last Friday’s preseason contest against the Carolina Panthers. But beyond him and the starters, the Patriots’ defensive line is filled with inexperience, while others don’t have ideal skill sets to defend the ground game.

According to Pats cap expert Miguel Benzan, the Patriots have about $5.5 million in cap space entering the 2022 season. They probably want to save as much of that money as they can for midseason moves, but could also have room in the budget for a trade or free-agent signing before the end of the summer.

The Patriots are healthy on the defensive line, but lack depth when it comes to run-stoppers. Brown and Head Coach Bill Belichick are obviously very familiar with each other, and he’d fill what’s been a pressing need for a while now. They may be OK as it stands on Monday, but if someone along the starting D-line were to get hurt, it would help a lot to have a guy like Brown available.

For now, the Patriots are in Las Vegas, as they get set for joint practices and their third preseason game against the Raiders. We’ll keep you posted on all Patriots news throughout camp here at 985TheSportsHub.com.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.