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Report: Brandon Browner A Free Agent After Patriots Decline Option

BOSTON (CBS) -- Much of the focus in the Patriots secondary heading into the offseason focused on Devin McCourty and Darrelle Revis, but a surprise twist came on Tuesday.

The Patriots did not exercise the option in his contract, thereby making him a free agent, according to Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo.

It's not entirely surprising, given the news of recent days. The Patriots allowed Browner to shop his services to teams over the weekend, and earlier on Tuesday, NFL Network's Albert Breer reported that Browner was not willing to take a pay cut to stay in New England in 2015.

Browner, 30, was a physical presence in the New England defensive backfield, playing in nine games and making 25 tackles and one interception. He made seven tackles and defensed one pass in three playoff games, and he'll forever be on tape occupying Jermaine Kearse at the line of scrimmage on the play that ended with Malcolm Butler's goal-line interception to win Super Bowl XLIX.

Browner was due to make between $4 million and $4.5 million next season.

 

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