A Matter Of Time?![\"A.J.](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01k8bkmmrmd2wbrfeg6w.jpg\" "\\"A.J.")
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Eagles WR A.J. Brown sits out the Oct. 24, 2025 Eagles practice. | John McMullen\/Eagles On SI<\/p>\n
The prediction markets and the mock-draft industry now seem to have caught up to the prevailing belief around the league: that A.J. Brown will likely be in New England by the time the Eagles and Patriots suit up for joint practices this summer.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Rams GM Les Snead confirmed the trade discussions that many had insisted weren\u2019t true, including the idea that the Eagles would be open to more than just draft capital in return for Brown. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel spent a good portion of the AFC coaches\u2019 breakfast deflecting questions about the receiver.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to try to do everything we can to strengthen our roster through the draft, through free agency and multiple ways of player acquisition,\u201d Vrabel told reporters in Phoenix. \u201cSo, anything that we can continue to do to strengthen the roster, we\u2019re going to try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea of an improved passing offense without Brown seems ridiculous from a pure football perspective. But in the context of an expensive offense with almost no cap flexibility, a personnel shakeup could amount to addition by subtraction.<\/p>\n
Other than Jahan Dotson\u2019s exit to Atlanta in free agency, the only thing more stagnant than Philadelphia\u2019s much-maligned offense is the personnel responsible for it.<\/p>\n
Unless you consider the Hollywood Brown tag in for Dotson as meaningful WR3 change, the only avenues the Eagles have to improve a group that caused all this consternation in the first place are dealing Brown \u2014 and maybe drafting an heir apparent to Lane Johnson who could push the incumbent guards early (Tyler Steen on merit and insurance for the injury-plagued Landon Dickerson).<\/p>\n