Andrew Buller-Russ
So far, since the New England Patriots lost in Super Bowl LX, we’ve seen general manager Eliot Wolf overhaul the team’s receiving corps. But are they better than before?
Stefon Diggs has been let go (and he’s yet to sign elsewhere). The Patriots have replaced him with Romeo Doubs on a $68 million contract. But Doubs, who has played four seasons, has never topped 750 yards in a single year. However, he is coming off a career-high 724 yards with the Packers.
Nevertheless, the Patriots may still want to upgrade their group of pass-catchers, and those around the NFL expect New England to do so via trade.
According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Patriots are “likely” to trade for A.J. Brown from the Eagles. But not until after June 1, when they’ll be allowed to spread out Brown’s dead salary cap charge across two seasons rather than take a $40 million penalty all in 2026.
“The Eagles remain open to trading AJ Brown, the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring the star receiver, and conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1, likely culminating in a deal, per league sources. As one source said about the Patriots’ pursuit of Brown, they’ll “definitely be engaging then.” A trade to New England is now considered likely.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter on AJ Brown trade
While the Patriots and Eagles seemingly have over a month to work out the specifics of a potential Brown trade, others believe the two teams may already have a verbal agreement in place. Or, the Eagles could still be hoping another team comes along, with an even stronger offer than the one New England may be preparing for the four-time Pro Bowl receiver.
If traded to New England, Brown would be reuniting with Mike Vrabel, who was his head coach on the Titans from 2019 to 2021. Suddenly, a receiving tandem of Brown and Doubs looks better than New England’s top two pass-catchers last season, when it was just Diggs and Hunter Henry, who ranked second on the team with 768 receiving yards. Henry is still under contract heading into 2026.
Related: NFL Rumors: A.J. Brown Trade May Already Be Done Between PHI Eagles, NE Patriots
