The talk of Title Town since Super Bowl LX has been all A.J. Brown, more specifically if there’s a chance he swaps his green and white jersey for red, white and blue.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that not only is it possible, but it’s already in motion.
“The Eagles remain open to trading AJ Brown, the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring the star receiver,” Schefter wrote on X. “And conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1, likely culminating in a deal, per league sources.
Brown has constantly been connected to New England even back when he was a Tennessee Titan. The receiver grew up a Patriots fan, and it doesn’t help that his childhood team now employs his old head coach Mike Vrabel.
The rumor mill this offseason has included a possible Brown trade from the Eagles, with the Patriots being the most talked about destination. But will a trade like this be feasible for both sides?
Not Anytime Soon
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, the Eagles seem unlikely to even consider moving on from Brown until after they finalize their upcoming draft selections and even beyond that.
Schefter’s reporting simply confirms the fact. If, or when the Eagles trade Brown, it will be after the draft.
Howie Roseman is an aggressive general manager, and he won’t give up on his star receiver unless he’s able to get a premium haul back.
But at 28 years old with a contract that makes him one of the highest paid receivers in the league, Brown likely won’t catch a first-round pick. That harsh reality is likely something Roseman doesn’t want to concede.
If the Eagles were to move Brown, it won’t be until after June 1 due to financials relating to Brown’s contract. According to ESPN, if the Eagles wait until after June 1 to process a Brown trade, their cap hit decreases by $20 million.
So while a trade may seem imminent, it’ll have to wait for at least a couple of months. But it seems that after June 1, Brown won’t be in the City of Brotherly Love.
A Trade Is Happening… But To The Patriots?
Many NFL insiders have alluded to the Patriots being not just in, but heavy favorites in the sweepstakes for Brown’s services.
Even recently before Schefter’s report, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport alluded to a Brown trade to New England on an appearance of FS1’s “The Heard.”
“Obviously, Post-June 1 is a very big date in the A.J. Brown sweepstakes,” Rapoport said. “Most people believe that there’s an eventual trade to the Patriots. It has not been done yet; I don’t believe it’s been done yet. And I don’t know for sure that’s going to happen, because life is weird and that’s two months from now.”
New England has the accessories to pull off a deal if it wants to. With over $35 million in cap space and an arsenal of future draft picks, the Patriots can finally get their coveted top-tier wide receiver.
Brown has a history of antics specifically during his time with the Eagles, but that shouldn’t be an issue if he were to land with New England. The combination of finally landing with his childhood team and being reunited with his old coach should be a recipe for success for both sides.
With Drake Maye on a rookie contract coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the time to contend for championships is now. A win-now move for Brown would elevate the Patriots offense to levels not seen since Tom Brady was calling the signals.
A Brown trade to New England is possible, probable even. But time will tell if Roseman and Elliot Wolf will pull the trigger.
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