One of the hardest things for a franchise in the NFL to do is return to the Super Bowl after a loss in the big game. The New England Patriots fell to the Seattle Seahawks after Super Bowl 60, but a potential superstar addition to the offense could help the team get back to the precipice of the league.
Patriots Could Flourish if A.J. Brown Teams Up With Stefon Diggs
The first roadblock to this duo becoming a reality is the financial side of things. Diggs is 32 and would command a $26.5 cap hit in 2026, but according to Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian of Mass Live, there may be an answer to that high cost sooner rather than later.
“Multiple sources told MassLive that the Patriots are working toward a resolution and should have this situation resolved in the coming weeks,” wrote Daniels and Guregian on Friday. Things are far from certain, though, and they explain, “The biggest question facing the Patriots is whether they will keep Diggs on his current deal if the receiver is unwilling to restructure.”
Along with the financial hurdles involved with bringing Diggs back to make a 2026 run, the road that leads to Brown isn’t exactly smooth. Over The Cap reported on Friday that a trade could work in the Eagles’ favor, as the team acquiring Brown “would be on the hook for his entire 2026 salary and would be on the hook for a $4 million guarantee in 2027.
Brown, who signed a 3-year $96 million extension with the Eagles in 2024, is due $29 million for the 2026 season, and that number lowers to $21 million in 2027. The star receiver will turn 29 in June of 2026, well below the danger zone for most NFL teams, not to mention he is incredibly consistent when it comes to what he produces on the field.
Since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 51st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Brown has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in all but one season (2021). The three-time Pro Bowler would be a dangerous addition to the Patriots’ roster if they do indeed find a way to have their cake and eat it too.
MassLive sees a world where New England takes the field in 2026 with Brown and Diggs as teammates. “There’s internal interest in trading for A.J. Brown, and it’s not just dependent on Diggs,” the article continues, “According to our sources, there’s a scenario where the Patriots could have both receivers on the roster. In the event Diggs is willing to restructure his contract, the team sees an avenue to pair him with Brown.”
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel already turned around a New England franchise that won four games in 2024, so becoming a rarity in the NFL by returning to the Super Bowl isn’t far-fetched for the former Super Bowl-winning linebacker. There will be no question, though, that if New England pulls this off, they are immediately the front-runners in the AFC.
