The New England Patriots are trading forward Chase Vinovich to the Cleveland Browns for linebacker Mac Wilson, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero announced Tuesday.
The deal cannot be formalized until Wednesday at 4pm ET, when the league’s 2022 year officially begins.
Vinovich, entering his fourth season in the NFL after being drafted 77th overall in 2019, played 13 games last season, but his playing time has been reduced from 2020, when he started nine games for ” Patriots”. In its three years, the former Michigan product received 11 bags, although none came last year.
Selected in the fifth round of the same draft, Wilson earned a strong starting role with the Cleveland in his first three seasons, starting 28 of 43 games played at center defense for the Browns. Like Winovich, the former Alabama standout has also noticed that his playing time on defense has dwindled in 2021, and he has played nearly as many special teams snaps as he did in the LB.
In Vinovich, Cleveland gets some passing depth that could help offset the potential loss of Jadevon Clowney. In Wilson, the Patriots are getting a low-cost quarterback with starting potential to help replace Dont Hightower, Ja’Von Bentley and Jamie Collins, who could go free, as well as gain valuable special teams experience.
Both players are entering the final years of their rookie contracts.