The New England Patriots are intent on surrounding QB Drake Maye with talent this offseason. They had their eyes on Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins before he was franchise tagged and will now pivot in a new direction to upgrade the wide receiver position.
The Patriots are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of an elite playmaker, bidding at the top of the free agency market and scouring the land for a blockbuster trade. One report indicates that New England has expressed interest in trading for an All-Pro pass-catcher previously unknown to be on the block.
Patriots reportedly reached out to the Eagles about trading for WR A.J. Brown
According to Matthew Berry of NBC Sports, the Patriots checked in with the Philadelphia Eagles about star WR A.J. Brown:
“To that point about a shallow WR market; I’ve heard the Patriots WILL do whatever they can to get a real ‘WR1’ for Drake Maye and the new coaching staff,” Berry explained. “I heard they are knocking on all doors, seeing what they can possibly trade for, and one person told me they heard the Patriots called Philly asking if A.J. Brown was available. Shrug emoji on if that’s true, or what Philly’s answer was, but this much seems certain: New England will aggressively try to upgrade its wide receiver room this offseason.”
The Patriots have made it clear that they are willing to do whatever they can to get a No. 1 wideout and that they will be turning over every stone to find that definitive playmaker. However, that doesn’t mean they will be successful in their efforts to acquire Brown from Philadelphia.
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Could the Patriots trade for Brown?
Brown and the Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl victory. Philly just signed RB Saquon Barkley to an extension making him the highest-paid running back in league history. There is no indication that the Eagles are willing to move off any of their stars. They seem intent on running it back in 2025, so Philadelphia trading Brown away seems unlikely.
Yet, stranger things have happened, and Brown does have a somewhat controversial past. He is a bit of a divisive character, sometimes making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Despite this, his elite talent allows the Eagles to see past those concerns, and it makes him a top target for the Patriots to consider.
In 2024, Brown totaled 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games and was named a second-team All-Pro. Brown is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and has been named to the All-Pro Second Team three seasons in a row. He is one of the game’s best wideouts and would be a dream acquisition for New England.
However, if Brown is made available for trade, the price tag would likely be monumental. Plus, the Patriots would be inheriting a 28-year-old with a contract running through 2029 that has cap hits reaching as high as $29 million.
The Patriots can dream about trading for Brown, but it seems to be much closer to a pipe dream than an eventual reality. If they are able to acquire him, though, Maye will be a happy gunslinger. And if they aren’t able to acquire him, then the Patriots will still be expected to land an elite wide receiver one way or another.
