Report: Less expensive Levi Brown will return to Cardinals

Cut only two days ago, former Cardinals tackle Levi Brown reportedly will sign a five-year deal with Arizona.

By Josh Katzowitz

Mar 15, 2012 at 11:41 pm ET • 1 min read

Looks like Brown will return to Arizona -- at a much less expensive rate, of course. (US Presswire)

Considering former first-round pick Levi Brown had been a disappointment with the Cardinals and because he was so expensive, eating up about $17 million of salary cap room for 2012, it was no surprise that Arizona decided to release him on Tuesday.

But with the Cardinals still in play for Peyton Manning, the move was also a little bit of a question mark, only because Arizona was left without a legit* left tackle to protect what would be Manning’s blind side.

Now, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has news on who the new Cardinals tackle will be. That would be Levi Brown at a less expensive rate on a sparkling-new five-year contract.

*Brown’s legitimacy also has to be called into question.

Even so, would Manning truly feel comfortable lining up behind Brown? After all, according to Pro Football Focus, Brown was the worst-rated pass blocker among all the left tackles in the league in 2011.

But as the Arizona Republic points out, Brown’s pass-blocking improved in the second half of the season, and that depending on other possible moves made during free agency, there’s a chance Brown could be shifted back to the right side, where he spent the first three years of his career.

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