If there was one thing that the New England Patriots were missing on their conquest to return to championship glory last season, it was a true No. 1 wideout for Drake Maye.
Consider that position filled. The Patriots traded a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for A.J. Brown last week, at long last consummating a deal that had been brewing for months.
Big-Bodied A.J. Brown Drawing Rob Gronkowski Comparisons
You don’t need a PhD to understand what Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels meant when he compared Brown to future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski. Anyone with eyes can see that the players aren’t similar in stature at all, unless Brown grows another five inches and gains another 40 pounds.
But McDaniels, who spent seven seasons as Gronkowski’s offensive coordinator in New England, witnessed enough firsthand to be able to make a sound comparison. Gronkowski is widely regarded as one of the two best tight ends to ever play; he punished defenders by being able to weaponize his body against them and create enough separation that he could expand his catch radius.
Brown, who has been participating in the Patriots’ organized team activity sessions upon his arrival, plays the game similarly.
“I respect that comparison, Josh McDaniels knows what he’s talking about and I understand what he’s saying,” Gronkowski told Kay Adams in an appearance on ‘Up & Adams’ on Monday.
“Because A.J. Brown is a big body out there. He’s a force to be reckoned with. He’s a guy who takes attention from the defense, even when the ball’s not going to him. Even though you know it’s a run play, you’re still going to put guys out there to make sure there’s no audibles checked to make the play go over to A.J. Brown and give him the opportunity.”
AJ Brown is the new Gronk in New England?
Rob Gronkowski agrees 🤝@RobGronkowski | @heykayadams | @Patriots pic.twitter.com/GRdECnMZX6
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) June 8, 2026
Now, Brown will headline a Patriots receiving corps that also includes free agent acquisition Romeo Doubs, who spent the last four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He’ll factor in as an immediate go-to target for Maye, last year’s runner-up MVP.
“Just the big-bodied presence brings another level to the offense, and A.J. Brown, he’s that big-bodied guy who can move,” Gronkowski said. “It’s hard to be that big and to move, and Josh McDaniels saw that with myself, and he sees that with A.J. Brown as well. I love that comparison; that was really cool to see him say that.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Brown was traded from the Eagles after sideline outbursts, blatant irritation over his role in the passing game, and a deteriorating relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Brown saw 121 targets across 15 games last season, which would be his third-most during his four years with the Eagles. He just barely eclipsed 1,000 yards, a feat he’s accomplished every year in Philadelphia, and finished with seven touchdowns for the third season in a row. His 66.9 average yards per game, however, were his fewest since his 2021 campaign with the Tennessee Titans.
Brown not accumulating the volume he’s accustomed to may be more of an indictment of the Eagles’ game as a whole, as well as former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Their entire offense took a step back in 2025 on the heels of a Super Bowl 59 title defense, culminating with Brown’s departure.
The hope is that Brown is the missing piece and the Patriots will be able to catapult themselves back to the doorstep of a Super Bowl for the 11th time since 2002, but he’ll have to return to form. That means turning the clock back to 2024, when he finished the season with a PFSN WR Impact score of 91.4.
