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Mike Vrabel spoke candidly on A.J. Brown trade chances, fueling Patriots speculation.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel drafted Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, when Vrabel was coach of the Tennessee Titans. Brown went on to earn three Pro Bowl selections and to total more than 1,000 yards receiving in six of his seven NFL seasons. Now Brown wants a trade from his current team, the Philadelphia Eagles, and on Wednesday, according to Locked on Patriots podcast host Nick Cattles, Vrabel sent a message to Brown.
The season after the Eagles won Super Bowl 60, Brown grew disillusioned with his role on the team, reportedly requesting that the team trade him on multiple occasions, starting as early as the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams, according to reporter Joseph Santoliquito of Bleeding Green Nation.
Brown’s widely reported disgruntlement has only fueled rumors that the Eagles will finally accommodate him and trade Brown elsewhere during the offseason. With Brown’s previous relationship with Vrabel, and the Patriots still in search of genuine No. 1 wide receiver to pair with MVP-runner-up quarterback Drake Maye, New England appears to be a logical landing spot for the 29-year-old Brown. In fact, DraftKings odds released this week have the Patriots listed as the favorites to acquire Brown, if he is actually traded, at +200.
But the primary obstacle to the Patriots, or any team, obtaining Brown is the $29 million salary cap hit that he brings with him, in the final season of his three-year, $96 million contract with the Eagles.
That, according to Cattles, is what Vrabel’s message addressed.
What Was Vrabel’s Message to Brown?
Speaking to Boston Herald Patriots reporter Doug Kyed on Wednesday, Vrabel responded to a question about trading for Brown.
“I think that we’ll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster. And again, there’s a lot of things that go into trades. There’s a lot of back and forth and taking on compensation,” Vrabel told Kyed. “And so I’m sure there’ll be a lot of opportunities for us to talk about trades, not only this week, but as we prepare and get closer to the draft.”
Cattles said on his Thursday Locked on Patriots podcast, Vrabel’s reference to “compensation” was directed at the Eagles receiver.
“Vrabel may also be sending a message directly to his friend A.J. Brown,” Cattles said on the podcast. “When Vrabel talks about ‘a lot of back and forth in taking on compensation,’ I read that as: ‘Hey, there are a lot of factors in a trade — and one of the biggest is money. If you’re willing to play ball on a new contract, we’re open for business.’”
Will Vrabel Attempt to Trade for Brown?
According to CBS Sports NFL analyst Tyler Sullivan, “The 2026 season is the final year that Brown has any guaranteed money ($29 million) on his contract, so any team looking to trade for him would likely also need to revise his deal, shrinking the asking price.”
That is exactly the message that Cattles detected in Vrabel’s quote about a hypothetical trade for Brown.
“That’s the subtext here. Vrabel didn’t have to mention compensation at all,” Cattles explained. “The fact that he did bring up money — in response to a question about A.J. Brown — feels deliberate. To me, that’s Vrabel telling Brown: If you’re serious, and you’re flexible on money, we’ll pick up the phone.”
If Cattles’ interpretation of Vrabel’s message is correct, whether or not he gets traded to the Patriots is now up to Brown.
Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering Japan Pro Baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin
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