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The Seahawks Welcome Back Brandon Browner

By Ben Renner

Nov 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) against the New York Giants during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Giants 52-49. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Brandon Browner (39) against the New York Giants during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Giants 52-49. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Seahawks brought back cornerback Brandon Browner yesterday. Will Browner’s return create a productive Legion of Boom reunion?

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The Seahawks signed free agent cornerback Brandon Browner yesterday to add depth to their secondary. They already re-signed Jeremy Lane this offseason and have All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and All-Pro safety Earl Thomas locked up through the 2017 season. But they needed more bodies in the secondary heading into the draft if possible. If we’ve learned anything from recent seasons, it’s that the Seahawks can’t have too many healthy defensive backs.

Browner was an original member of the Legion of Boom that stormed onto the scene late in the 2012 season and has been strangling opposing passing attacks ever since. Following the Seahawks’ demolition of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48, Browner left the team in free agency, one of many departures from the fearsome Seattle defense that offseason, although he only played eight games in 2013 and didn’t play in the playoffs that year. He landed in New England for 2014 and started nine games, making 26 tackles and one interception.

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Seattle Seahawks

Last season, Brandon Browner was rated as the worst cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. His play at corner for the New Orleans Saints was a running joke throughout the season. He allowed 36 receptions for 571 yards and a touchdown. Surely other corners have been torched more than Browner has, right? You are right. But Browner tacked on an astonishing 16 defensive penalties. He averaged a defensive holding penalty, pass interference penalty, or some other sloppy yellow flag-waving play every game.

Returning to the Seahawks and cornerback whisperer Pete Carroll was probably the best thing that could happen to the poor man. Whether or not he’ll contribute to this year’s edition of the LOB remains to be seen. In 2011, Browner had his best season. He started all 16 games and intercepted six passes, including one that he took back to the house from 94 yards out. When the Legion of Boom earned its nickname, in 2012, Browner started 12 games and intercepted three passes while forcing three fumbles and recovering one.

Brandon Browner has not had a season like his first, in 2011, since. He batted down 23 passes to go along with his interceptions and his 220 interception return yards that year. He had 23 passes defensed from 2012 to 2014 combined.

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Browner is surely relieved to come back to Carroll and the LOB to try to revive his career. I’m not sure we should all be as excited as he is. He was so awful last year that it’s hard to believe he’ll be that bad again, but I doubt we’ll see the Browner of 2011 in 2016. Then again, he was an undrafted free agent coming out to the Seahawks by way of the Canadian Football League, so he’s proven people wrong before. Let me know what you think of the signing in the comments section below.

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