A.J. Brown will be a member of the New England Patriots in the summer.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Philadelphia Eagles will trade A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots in the summer.
The Eagles haven't been highly incentivized to move Brown right now for financial reasons. A 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.
"No matter what happens at this week's draft, an A.J. Brown trade to the Patriots is still on the table and still tracking to happen on or after June 1, per league sources," Schefter wrote. "The two sides have discussed a deal, but neither has been willing to commit to it until after June 1, when Brown's $40 million salary cap charge would be split between this and next year.
"All the elements remain in place to make it happen, and Brown to the Patriots is still the likely outcome ... just not during this week's draft, per sources. Put the trade on hold just for now, but things will soon quickly warm back up. The Eagles remain open to trading Brown, the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring the star receiver, and conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1, probably culminating in a deal, per league sources.
"The Patriots remain at the forefront of trade talks for Brown. Another team could always emerge, and there's a lot of time between now and June 1. But as of now, multiple sources say they believe Brown and the Patriots are likely to become a tandem."
The Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl last season in Year 1 of the Mike Vrabel era. They have one of the best QBs in the league in Drake Maye, who was second in MVP voting last season.
Brown and the Eagles agreed to a three-year, $96 million extension in April 2024. The Super Bowl champion has no guaranteed money on his current deal after 2026.
One of the best playmakers in the NFL, Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns last season. He and QB Jalen Hurts weren't on the same page and multiple reports have said the two stars are no longer close.
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 Vrabel coached him in Tennessee.
The Patriots parted ways with Stefon Diggs and signed Romeo Doubs this offseason. Once they add Brown, their offense will be very elite next season with Maye leading the way.
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