A.J. Brown’s run with the Philadelphia Eagles seems to be reaching its definitive end. Despite leading the offense to a Super Bowl win in February 2025, the relationship between the three-time All-Pro and the franchise has deteriorated beyond repair.
With the New England Patriots actively pursuing him, it was expected that Brown would soon be seen donning the dark navy jersey, but getting that blockbuster deal over the finish line is proving to be a very complicated game.
Patriots and Eagles Have “Grappled” Over A.J. Brown’s Trade
The 28-year-old superstar wide receiver has been a dominant force since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2019. He finished his rookie season with 1,051 receiving yards, becoming the only rookie since 1970 to reach 1,000 receiving yards while averaging over 20 yards per reception.
With the Eagles drafting Makai Lemon and trading for Dontayvion Wicks, the intentions have been made clear that the team is preparing ahead of Brown’s expected trade.
In November 2025, Brown expressed his dissatisfaction with the Eagles’ offense, stating, “At what point are we going to pick up our slack as an offense?… You can’t keep slapping a Band-Aid over that and expect to win late in the year… It’s not going to happen.”
In April 2026, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the New England Patriots were the frontrunners to acquire Brown, with a trade on the table and expected to go down on or after June 1.
While both franchises seemed eager to finalize the move, it stalled temporarily until June 1 as the Eagles want to avoid the massive dead-cap hit. The Eagles are also aiming for a premier package featuring a first-round draft pick, while the Patriots are pushing for a deal around a second-round pick. These differences have added another layer of complexity to Brown’s potential move to Foxborough.
Senior NFL Insider Josina Anderson took to social media and shed some light on the situation. She wrote, “A league source tells me this morning that the Eagles and Patriots have recently “grappled” over the component of the total trade compensation for AJ Brown that could involve a “swapping of picks.” With that said, over the last 7 days, my sense from -various conversations- is that New England is still casting good confidence a Brown trade will get done.”
She followed it up with another post, emphasizing, “I don’t know who else needs to hear this. Patriots-Eagles trade talks for AJ Brown are not complete. This is not a debate. It doesn’t mean it won’t get done, and that, currently it’s not likely, it just means that there is some recent haggling going on, and a deal is not officially 100% sealed. Clearly… as it’s still May too.”
I don’t know who else needs to hear this.
Patriots-Eagles trade talks for AJ Brown are not complete.
This is not a debate.
It doesn’t mean it won’t get done, and that currently it’s not likely, it just means that there is some recent haggling going on and a deal is not… https://t.co/nH9ioGbToY
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) May 28, 2026
While the deal is very likely to happen, with neither front office willing to back down, it has created a tense situation. This trade drama could change the landscape if a sudden late counteroffer is presented at the table.
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Brown is coming off the worst season of his Eagles tenure, finishing last year with 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games. He averaged 66.9 yards per game, the lowest in his four seasons in Philadelphia. According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, Brown posted an impact score of 80.9, ranking 21st in the league.
If the Patriots can successfully navigate Howie Roseman’s demands, they will land a dominant engine for their offense. But until the trade offer is agreed upon, it remains a waiting game to see whether Brown and Mike Vrabel will reunite.
