Patriots Reportedly Trade Chase Winovich To Browns For LB Mack Wilson

FOXBORO (CBS) -- The Patriots are moving on from Chase Winovich. New England is reportedly sending Winovich to the Browns for inside linebacker Mack Wilson, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

There were some high hopes that Winovich would bring a lot to the New England pass rush after the Patriots drafted him in the third round in 2019, and he recorded 5.5 sacks during his rookie season despite playing just 29 percent of the team's defensive snaps. His playing time increased to 58 percent of New England's defensive snaps in 2020, with Winovich starting nine games, but his sack total stayed the same at 5.5.

He fell out of Bill Belichick's favor in 2021 and played sparingly on defense -- only 14 percent of the team's defensive snaps -- and recorded no sacks. He did not start a single game in 2021 and recorded just one QB hit after racking up 22 over his first two seasons.

Shortly after news of the trade broke, Winovich tweeted a farewell message to New England:

The trade will not become official until Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. when the new league year begins.

The Patriots will now turn to Wilson for some more depth at inside linebacker. Wilson was also drafted in 2019, taken in the fifth round out of Alabama. He came into the NFL with a bang, racking up 82 combined tackles while playing 88 percent of Cleveland's defensive snaps as a rookie. But like Winovich, his playing time -- and production -- decreased over the last two years. He was down to just 21 percent of Cleveland's defensive snaps last year.

It appears both teams are hoping that a change of scenery will help both players live up to their potential. With New England well stacked on the edge, Wilson will give them another linebacker in the middle of the field.

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