Since arriving in Philadelphia, A.J. Brown has spent the last four seasons as one of the most productive receivers in football, topping 1,000 yards in every year. However, his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles appears to be nearing its end.
Brown, who signed a three-year, $96 million extension in 2024, openly voiced frustration with his role in the Eagles’ offense last season and has been linked to the New England Patriots for several months. ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently provided the clearest indication yet that a deal is coming.
Adam Schefter Claims Patriots’ Internal Issues Won’t Derail A.J. Brown Trade
Brown’s connection with the Patriots makes too much sense to ignore. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the second round back in 2019 while Mike Vrabel was head coach, and quarterback Drake Maye needs a legitimate No. 1 target after the team released Stefon Diggs.
However, Vrabel has spent the past several weeks navigating a personal scandal involving former NFL reporter Dianna Russini, which led him to miss the third day of the NFL Draft for counseling. The situation has raised questions about whether it could complicate the Patriots’ offseason plans, but as of now, it has not impacted the team’s pursuit of Brown.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schefter revealed that the trade remains on track and should be finalized in June.
“I think he [Brown] knows where his future is headed at this moment, and it’ll be a matter of the Patriots and the Eagles getting together to basically process the trade, finalize the trade, and make sure it happens,” Schefter said. “But again, there’s nothing that has transpired here, despite all the events in New England that has deterred this trade from coming off.”
“I still think it is on track,” Schefter continued. “I still think it’s going to happen. I still think it will involve a future one, likely a 2028 first-round draft pick. I still think all these elements are in place, and I still think that once we get to June, that these two sides will get together and complete a trade that’ll send A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots.”
The Patriots did not select a single wide receiver with any of their nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, indicating they are preparing for Brown to join the wide receiver room, which currently has Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins.
According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, since arriving in Philadelphia, here is how Brown has ranked in the league at his position:
- 2022: 89.2 impact score, ranked 4th in the league.
- 2023: 88.6 impact score, ranked 9th in the league.
- 2024: 91.4 impact score, ranked 3rd in the league.
- 2025: 80.9 impact score, ranked 21st in the league.
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Over the offseason, Philadelphia has already built its receiver room to prepare for Brown’s inevitable departure. The Eagles drafted Makai Lemon with the No. 20 pick, acquired Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers, and signed Marquise Brown in free agency.
These three additions, paired with DeVonta Smith as the clear WR1, give the Eagles enough firepower to absorb the loss of Brown, who has been named to the All-Pro second team three times in his career.
Moving Brown could also unlock a different version of the offense. With fewer mouths to feed, Smith should see a larger target share, and Jalen Hurts could benefit from a scheme built around multiple playmakers rather than managing Brown’s frustrations over usage.
Recouping a future first-round pick for a receiver the team was prepared to move on from represents strong value for general manager Howie Roseman.
