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Seahawks sign Brandon Browner? Really?

By Keith Myers

Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson (15) catches a 90-yard touchdown pass while defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson (15) catches a 90-yard touchdown pass while defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Seattle Seahawks have brought back cornerback Brandon Browner. Exactly why they’d do that remains a mystery.

The Seattle Seahawks are having a confusing offseason. They’ve made a number of moves that are just plain weird. Bringing back cornerback Brandon Browner might be the weirdest move yet.

First, a history lesson. The Seahawks signed Browner out of the CFL back in 2011. At first he was absolutely terrible, later he was very very good. In 2012 he was outstanding, right up until he was suspended for failing a drug test.

In 2013 he wasn’t nearly as good. Then he got hurt. Then he failed another drug test. Somewhere in there he also lost his job to Byron Maxwell.

So the Seahawks let him go, and he signed a big money deal with New England in 2014. After just part of one season (he missed the beginning of the year because of that failed drug test the year before) he was shipped off to the Saints.

Browner played 1 year in New Orleans, where he was absolutely terrible. Like terribly terrible. Like far worse than Cary Williams in Seattle terrible. And that is before you count in what felt like a million penalties. The Saints could not dump him off the roster fast enough once the season ended.

Browner then sat out there in free agency, with no one showing the slightest bit of interest. It looked like his time in the NFL was done, but now suddenly he’s a Seahawk again.

Exactly why they’d bring him back remains a mystery. Browner is old, slow and a penalty magnet. That’s a terrible combination for a cornerback.

Here is what we do know: it is a 1 year contract. It appears as though it qualifies for the minimum salary benefit clause (meaning he’ll only count about $450k against the cap, despite making twice that).

Perhaps there is a plot twist involved though: Perhaps Browner is not being brought back as a CB. The Seahawks could use a backup SS on the roster. At least we know that Browner can still make the big hit and can probably cover most TEs.

I guess we’ll find out when the team takes the field at their veteran minicamp in June. Until then, it will just be another weird move in a weird offseason.

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