The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles have been linked to a trade nearly all offseason involving wide receiver A.J. Brown, and a recent statement from an NFL reporter has added even more fuel to the fire.
After the 2026 League Meetings, A to Z Sports’ Easton Freeze believes Brown will be traded to the Patriots before the start of the season.
“One thing I’ll be leaving the owners meetings way too sure of: AJ Brown will wear a Patriots jersey this fall,” Freeze said on X.
It feels inevitable at this point that Brown will either remain in Philadelphia or be in New England in 2026. There doesn’t seem to be another team that poses a threat to the Patriots in a trade for the multiple-time Pro Bowl receiver.
The Eagles aren’t going to move Brown before June 1, as the team would save $7 million by trading him after that date, rather than eating a $43 million dead cap charge before.
Though New England signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal worth $80 million in free agency, Josh McDaniels’ offense needs more receiving talent for quarterback Drake Maye.
Brown would immediately step in as the bona fide No. 1 receiver in the Patriots’ offense and be a difference-maker as an explosive playmaker for Maye.
We’ll see if New England can strike a deal with Philadelphia for Brown at some point this offseason. The Eagles’ asking price for their franchise receiver has been incredibly high all offseason, but the Patriots could be willing to pay it to take their offense to new heights in 2026.
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