Andrew Buller-Russ
Taking advantage of their position as reigning AFC Super Bowl representatives, the New England Patriots made an all-in move this week, trading two draft picks for A.J. Brown. The agreement came after months of trade rumors linking the three-time Pro Bowl receiver to New England, but now we’re learning even more about why the trade was so complicated.
Shortly after the trade was completed, Patriots VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf spoke to Yahoo’s Jori Epstein, where he revealed that Brown has a “degenerative knee condition.” It’s an interesting discovery, considering he only ever missed one regular season game due to the injury.
“It’s a factor, but we examined him,” Wolf told Epstein. “He’s got a knee that has some wear and tear that we were aware of. Our training staff and medical staff signed off on it.”
The Rams were also aware of Brown’s medical diagnosis, which may have led to their decision not to make a better offer to Philadelphia. Plus, they likely would have been forced to trade Davante Adams too, and they weren’t ready to do that after Adams led the NFL in touchdown catches last season.
Even with Brown’s apparent knee injury, it’s telling that the Patriots still felt comfortable trading a future first-round pick to land the soon-to-be 29-year-old wideout. They clearly feel like Brown can continue being an impact player for years to come.
Related: New England Patriots Receiver Wants Trade After A.J. Brown’s Arrival
