The Philadelphia Eagles are widely expected to trade A.J. Brown at some point before the start of the 2026 regular season, and a new report makes it seem even more likely that the star wide receiver will wind up in the AFC.
Brown has been linked to the New England Patriots for some time. The defending AFC champions are looking to give quarterback Drake Maye a true No. 1 threat in the passing game after moving on from Stefon Diggs, and Brown is said to be their top target. The question is whether the Patriots are willing to be the highest bidder in a potential Brown trade.
With minicamp quickly approaching, the odds continue to favor Brown landing in New England.
A.J. Brown will likely be dealt in the near future
Trading Brown would leave the Eagles with a dead salary cap hit of around $43.5M. If they were to wait until June 2 or later to deal Brown, that would give them the option of spreading that money out over two seasons. That is, in all likelihood, the reason no official trade involving Brown has been announced.
On Sunday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote that “all signs are still pointing to Brown becoming a Patriot as soon as June 2.” The longtime reporter believes the Eagles and Patriots have a handshake agreement in place and views it as unlikely that Philadelphia will go back on the deal.
“It’s entirely possible that the deal is unofficially done. Trade terms agreed to, and both teams keeping their mouths shut until Brown passes a physical and both teams communicate the terms of the transaction to the league office,” Florio wrote.
“The Maxx Crosby fiasco from March was a lesson to all teams about not letting the cart get in front of the horse. Say nothing until the deal is official.
“Could another team swoop in with a better offer? If the Patriots and Eagles have unofficially worked out a deal, and if both sides honor a transaction that remains unofficial until it becomes official, it’s too late for that.”
Patriots remain the favorite for A.J. Brown
The Patriots have been the favorite to land Brown for several weeks at most major sportsbooks. While one NFL insider recently said it is not a sure thing that New England and Philadelphia will come to an agreement, most fans and members of the media alike would be surprised if Brown were to land with another team.
Brown caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns for the Eagles last season. His role has diminished a bit since the team signed Saquon Barkley two years ago, which has led to some frustration for the three-time Pro Bowl selection. It seems like Brown wants a change of scenery, and a reunion with his former coach in Mike Vrabel still makes more sense than any other outcome.