Austin Konenski
The New England Patriots have set their eyes on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. After the first day of NFL free agency, the Patriots have yet to sign a wide receiver to replace Stefon Diggs. The wide receiver room is very bare; however, an NFL insider dropped a major update on the Brown and Patriots trade rumors.
The trade destination list for Brown “starts and ends with the Patriots,” as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on the Pat McAfee Show. The 28-year-old wide receiver has been linked to several other NFL teams, such as the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers, but it appears to be New England or bust.
Brown is the perfect fit for the Patriots, who would serve as Drake Maye‘s top target in the New England offense. The Eagles and Patriots have been negotiating a potential trade for Brown over the last few weeks, but nothing has come to fruition yet.
The Patriots need Brown and the Eagles wouldn’t be in discussions if they didn’t want to trade him. Philadelphia’s high asking price has been a hurdle in trade negotiations, as the organization wants a first round pick and second round pick for the superstar wide receiver.
Several trade packages have been mentioned, but the Patriots and Eagles need to find a middle ground soon.
Potential trade packages for A.J. Brown to New England Patriots
Both sides need to find a middle ground to execute a trade for Brown. The Bills recently traded for wide receiver D.J. Moore and a fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears, sending a second-round pick in return. The trade impacted the market, putting a further emphasis on the Eagles’ high asking price for Brown.
The Patriots should offer the 31st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a 2027 third-round pick for Brown. The Eagles are likely more inclined to acquire New England’s 2027 first-round pick, as many believe next year’s NFL Draft is deeper. If so, the Patriots could send a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles.
New England shouldn’t offer more than two picks. There doesn’t need to be another pick or player involved. The Patriots may have lost some leverage after wide receiver Alec Pierce re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts, but it is clear that Brown is the top priority. Perhaps, New England could use a potential trade for Jacksonvile Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. to gain a little bit of leverage back in its favor.
Either way, is best for everyone involved to complete a deal. Whether that is as soon as possible or after June 1 when the cap hit won’t be as bad for Philadelphia, both sides need to figure out the best route to move forward. The Patriots are in hot pursuit of Brown, and the Eagles need to move on from the drama that is hurting the organization.
Hopefully, the trade talks between the Patriots and Eagles pick up quickly, or the rumors surrounding Brown won’t be ending anytime soon.
Read More: New England Patriots Must Make A.J. Brown Trade a Top Priority
