Following months of chatter by way of various insiders, the worst-kept secret in the NFL has now been set in motion. The Philadelphia Eagles are officially trading star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The news comes as no surprise given the longstanding drama surrounding this saga. The possibility of a move for the standout weapon has hovered over the Eagles’ franchise for some time now given his reputation as one of the closest things to what fans may refer to as a prototypical “diva” receiver. It seemed just a matter of time — on or after June 1 for financial reasons — before Brown would be sent elsewhere. Now, he’s headed to New England for a reunion with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel.
The price tag on a player of Brown’s caliber is usually quite hefty, and shipping him to a team that just appeared in the Super Bowl adds an entirely new layer to negotiations. What does the trade return look like on both sides of this Eagles-Patriots swap?
A.J. Brown trade details
Per NFL Network, Brown is being traded to the Patriots in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
The asking price is no stunner by any means. Throughout this saga, the price tag has been rumored to include a first-round pick at the very least. For the Patriots, sending out a pick two years away isn’t a bad deal whatsoever while working to maximize the window of quarterback Drake Maye’s rookie-scale contract. For Philadelphia, the front office adds future capital and has been more than happy to aggressively trade picks in the past. Plus, the franchise just added a first-round wideout in USC product Makai Lemon, who will presumably be Brown’s replacement on the outside.
Last season was admittedly a rough one for Brown. He scored seven touchdowns, but his 1,003 receiving yards were the fewest of his career, barring an injury-shortened 2021 campaign in which he played just 13 games for the Tennessee Titans. He averaged only 66.9 yards per game — down 18.9 YPG compared to three prior years with Philly — though the overall struggles of the Eagles’ offense do help explain away some of the statistical downturn.
Either way, he’ll be a major piece for a Patriots team that deployed something of a wideout-by-committee approach en route to a Super Bowl appearance last season. Brown immediately steps in as the alpha in this offense and is complemented by Romeo Doubs, who New England signed this offseason. Third-year quarterback Drake Maye should feel thrilled by the development.
Brown, who will turn 29 years old at the end of June, has cemented a place near the upper echelon of wideout talents in the NFL. There have certainly been peaks and valleys while playing for two of the most run-heavy teams in the league over his seven-year career, but he’s racked up at least 1,000 receiving yards in all but one season over this span with three Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl ring to boot. In his four years with Philadelphia, Brown has hauled in 339 passes for 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns. Those numbers place him ninth in Eagles history in receiving yards and ties him for 12th all-time in receiving touchdowns for the franchise.
