Jayon

Brown

With four games remaining and Vegas wildly unlikely to make the playoffs, it almost certainly is the end of Brown’s season. The veteran started six games for the Raiders, played in eight, and made 45 total tackles. Brown’s poor 30.0 PFF run defense grade and one-year contract mark him as unlikely to be back with the team next season as he becomes a free agent.

The Titans middle linebacker for most of the last five years, Brown saw his playing time cut at the end of the season as they began to work waiver claim Zach Cunningham into the role. He played just 32 defensive snaps in the last four weeks of the season, and only played 36% of the snaps against the Bengals in the playoffs. Brown has some history as a good cover linebacker, though, and was dinged up with an elbow injury in the middle of the season. It’s a nice signing for the Raiders as they try to replace Cory Littleton and KJ Wright.

Brown has been an every-snap linebacker when active for the Titans this year, but he’s not at full health heading into the final week of the regular season. Still, the Titans shouldn’t need a fully healthy active to beat a hapless Texans offense and secure the top seed in the AFC in the process.

26-year-old Brown was an every-down player for the Titans before suffering a season-ending elbow injury mid-year. It’s purely a bet on himself to quickly recover and flash upside before hitting the market again next offseason. Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds will have reset the value at that position by that time.

Brown missed the final six games of 2020. Now 26, 2017 fifth-rounder Brown was an every-down player in 2020. That will definitely earn him some looks on the open market.

Brown, who had been an every-down player this season, has a fractured and dislocated elbow. The 25-year-old had been stuffing the stat sheet but putting ordinary play on film. It hurts the most from a depth perspective for a defense that has not been one of the league’s best in 2020.

It will be Brown’s first postseason game action this year. The Titans allowed the third-most receptions (101) to opposing running backs (and an ensuing 10 to the Patriots in the Wild Card round) even with Brown manning the middle of the field this season, but his presence at the very least adds a capable coverage backer in proximity to the line of scrimmage. Adam Humphries and Rashaan Evans are also available Sunday.

Each of Brown, LB Rashaan Evans (foot) and CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot) are listed as questionable, but each is tentatively expected to suit up Sunday after practicing in a limited fashion all week. The defense will need all three starters in order to slow down Patrick Mahomes and company, who shredded this defense to the tune of 32 points and 446 passing yards back in Week 10.

Brown (6’0/231) succeeded Myles Jack as the Bruins’ middle linebacker, making 21 starts and tallying nine career tackles for loss with 15 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. Brown led the Pac 12 in tackles (119) as a senior, earning first-team all-conference recognition. Severely undersized for an NFL linebacker, Brown’s calling cards are his stingy coverage skills and extensive special teams background. With adequate 4.67 speed, Brown has some potential to become a Wesley Woodyard-type player.

Brown succeeded Myles Jack at UCLA and led the Pac-12 in tackles as a senior. Undersized at 6'/230, Brown has plus coverage skills and plays special teams. The latter will be his way to a roster spot as a rookie.