Goodbye New England, hello Cleveland.
Former Patriots outside linebacker Chase Winovich bid farewell to his home for the past three seasons after his trade to the Browns on Tuesday, thanking New England fans for their support.
“I am so grateful for my experience in New England,” the 2019 third-round draft pick wrote on Twitter. “The love, spirit, and support have been absolutely unreal. This entire region will always hold the most special of places in my heart. The time is now for the next chapter of my journey.”
Winovich showed obvious pass-rushing ability for New England (11 sacks over his first two seasons) but never became a full-time player in Bill Belichick’s defense and largely was phased out in 2021. Following the offseason additions of Matthew Judon and Kyle Van Noy, Winovich played just 10.5% of defensive snaps in his third and final Patriots season and was a healthy scratch for the team’s lone playoff game.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old now will get a fresh start with the Browns, whom he enthusiastically greeted in a follow-up tweet.
The Patriots’ return for Winovich was Mack Wilson, an athletic off-the-ball linebacker who played his college ball at Alabama. Like Winovich, the 24-year-old Wilson saw his playing time diminish during his final season in Cleveland and could benefit from new surroundings as New England revamps its linebacking corps.
Wilson was the first external addition the Patriots made during the NFL’s legal tampering period, which began Monday. The trade cannot be finalized until the new league year opens Wednesday afternoon.
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