The worst-kept secret in the NFL has finally happened. The Philadelphia Eagles have traded wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
How we got here
Despite being one of the best receivers in Eagles history, things haven’t exactly been going smoothly between Brown and the Eagles. There were multiple moments over the past couple of seasons where he would post cryptic messages to social media or get into disagreements with teammates and coaching staff.
It started in December of 2024 when Brown simply said “passing” when asked what the Eagles offense could improve upon, despite being on a 10-game winning streak. The next day, Brandon Graham detailed a growing rift between Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
During their run to the Super Bowl, Brown was spotted reading a book on the sideline against the Packers in the wild card. He would then deliver a fiery speech during the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade that contained some subtle messages about the season.
During the 2025 season, Brown had a number of cryptic comments and messages. He posted an interesting bible verse after he had two catches for seven yards against the Buccaneers. Later in the season, he told fantasy football owners, “If you got me on fantasy, get rid of me.”
Things culminated in the playoffs when he got into a heated argument with head coach Nick Sirianni against the 49ers. Then, in February, Sirianni said that he couldn’t guarantee Browns’ spot on the team going into the 2026 season.
The fit
The Patriots have needed to bring in a true No. 1 receiver for Drake Maye after the Patriots’ receiver room started to look a bit bare. Over the course of his career, Brown has 8,029 receiving yards and 56 touchdowns, which both rank fourth since he entered the league. Aside from the clear need, Brown played for head coach Mike Vrabel during his time in Tennessee. That creates a level of comfort right off the bat and allows them to start off right.
For the Eagles, they are now clear of a major locker-room headache. They can move on, and according to general manager Howie Roseman, “I think that when we looked at the totality of the circumstances … that if we could find something that kind of achieved our goals of getting a first-round pick going forward here in the near future, getting the money back to spend on other players … it was a win-win situation.”
Grades
Eagles: A
The Eagles have known that this was going to happen for a long time, and they have been preparing for it. They drafted Makai Lemon, signed Hollywood Brown, and traded for Dontayvion Wicks. On top of that, DeVonta Smith is ready to become their No. 1 option.
In terms of compensation, the Eagles got back relatively good value for a receiver that wasn’t going to work out for them. Even if the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl, there is no guarantee that they’ll make it back, so a 2028 first can be valuable.
Patriots: B
The Patriots are getting the true No. 1 wide receiver that Maye has been desperately needing. Brown has put up at least 1,000 yards in six out of his seven years in the league, with two of those seasons being 1,450+ yards. He also ranks second in yards per route over the past six years.
However, he is coming off a down year with only 1,003 receiving yards and some controversial behavior. Over the course of the season, he was at odds with other members of the Eagles team and the staff. Because of that, the question of whether or not his bad behavior will travel to New England remains. He is also owed $28.75 million in 2026, $21 million in 2027, and $32 million in 2028, so he could demand an extension of some sort as well.
It’ll be interesting to see how this trade works out for both teams. They both have dreams of making it back to the Super Bowl. The only thing left to do now is wait and watch if this trade helps them do that.
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