The New England Patriots released Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason and signed Romeo Doubs to try to fill that void. But the receiver room is still a work in progress, and one big name keeps coming up.
Will the Patriots Trade for A.J. Brown? Mike Vrabel Isn’t Ruling It Out
Speaking at the NFL’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed A.J. Brown trade speculation, per ESPN. The Eagles wideout has been linked to New England as a top potential destination.
“We’ve talked about this since last January. We’re going to try to do everything we can to strengthen our roster through the draft, through free agency, multiple ways of player acquisition,” Vrabel said. “So anything that we can continue to do to strengthen the roster, we’re going to try to do.”
That is not a no. And it likely is not a coincidence either. Vrabel coached Brown with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2021, and he noted at the meeting that past connections like that carry real weight when he thinks about adding players.
The Eagles have not budged publicly. General manager Howie Roseman has said repeatedly that Brown is a member of the team.
The financial picture also complicates things. Philadelphia’s dead cap number drops from over $40 million to $16.35 million after June 1, making a pre-June deal unlikely.
What New England’s Wide Receiver Room Actually Looks Like
Even while keeping that door open, Vrabel spoke positively about the receivers already on the roster. In a clip shared by @LosTalksPats on X, he went through the group one by one.
“There’s guys that we, certainly we targeted Romeo, with the consistency that he’s had and shown. And his first four years in the NFL, and I think he’s gotten better. I think he’s improved each and every year. Certainly, you mentioned Keyshawn, I think Pop is a player that’s gonna really continue to grow and develop, and we have to find ways to get him the ball.”
Mike Vrabel on the #Patriots WRs:
“Certainly, we targeted Romeo [Doubs]. With the consistency that he’s had… He’s improved each and every year. You mention Kayshon [Boutte]. I think Pop [Douglas] is a player that’s gonna really continue to grow and develop… Kyle [Williams],… pic.twitter.com/KsyfQL2rqN
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) March 31, 2026
He had just as much to say about the younger pieces in the room.
“Kyle, really excited, talked about him just improving his play strength. And that’s something that he’s tried to focus on here in the offseason. We know what his speed is and his release skills and the ability to, we saw him go and track the ball down the field. So there’s a lot of guys that we’re excited about.”
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It is a group with upside, but no proven No. 1. Doubs is the closest thing to a lead option, with Kayshon Boutte, Pop Douglas, and Kyle Williams all still developing at the NFL level.
Brown, for context, had a PFSN NFL WR Impact score of 80.9 with a B- grade in the 2025 season, finishing 21st among all wide receivers on 78 catches from 121 targets across 15 games. That kind of reliability is hard to find elsewhere.
Nothing is expected to happen before June 1 at the earliest. Until then, Vrabel is building with what he has while keeping one eye on the market.
