Report: Eagles, Patriots 'Not Particularly Close' on A.J. Brown Trade

The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are "not particularly close" on an A.J. Brown trade, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

"As far as the actual trade, we're all waiting for June 1 to happen so the cap hit is in half for the Philadelphia Eagles and they can trade him," Rapoport said. "I just don't know that it's going to be like snap your fingers and the deal is done because the two sides are where they have been, which is the Eagles wanting a first-round pick in 2027.

"The Patriots, being the most likely destination, we'll see if someone else arises, but the Patriots are not willing to give up a first-round pick as of right now. That means they're not particularly close and there's a chance this could drag on for the foreseeable future."

The Eagles are expected to trade Brown to the Patriots on or after June 1. A Brown trade before June 1 would come with a 2026 cap hit of over $40 million, compared to less than $20 million if he's dealt after that date.

Brown and the Eagles agreed to a three-year, $96 million extension in April 2024. The Super Bowl champion, though, has no guaranteed money on his current deal after 2026.

One of the best receivers in the NFL, Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns last season. 

A three-time Pro Bowler, Brown has been with the Eagles since 2022. He has 339 receptions for 5,034 receiving yards and 32 receiving touchdowns in a Philadelphia uniform, helping the franchise beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

Brown has 8,029 receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Eagles. He's been heavily linked to the Patriots because Mike Vrabel coached him in Tennessee.

The Eagles won the NFC East last season but lost to the San Francisco 49ers at home in the wild-card round of the 2026 playoffs. During the game, Nick Sirianni and Brown got into a heated exchange on the sideline. Brown had two drops, tying a career high, and declined to speak to the media postgame.

Brown finished the Eagles-49ers game with three catches for 25 yards on seven targets. Philadelphia fans booed him after his second drop in the fourth quarter.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts told reporters on Wednesday that his relationship with Brown is "really good." Multiple reports have stated that Hurts and Brown are no longer close, which made Hurts' comments notable.

"Nothing's changed. ... We're really good," Hurts said of Brown. "I saw how beautiful the pictures came out at his wedding. I'm very happy for him and his wife and his family. It's a beautiful thing to step into convenience, so I was very excited and congratulatory towards that."

All signs point toward the Eagles trading Brown to the Patriots in June. This saga will be over soon. 

Eagles Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Eagles. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.