New England Patriots
“If he ends up joining our team, great. What a great player. If not, we still have to coach these guys here.”
AJ Brown has been frequently linked to the Patriots. AP Photo/Carolyn Brehman
FOXBOROUGH – It’s becoming more and more difficult to ignore the smoke between the Patriots and Eagles and the possibility of a blockbuster trade involving star receiver AJ Brown.
Multiple reports — including from longtime ESPN insider Adam Schefter — have indicated that the trade involving Brown and the Patriots appears to be a done deal, with both New England and Philly waiting to complete a potential handshake agreement after June 1.
June 1 remains a key date regarding any potential trade, as the Browns’ salary cap charges will be spread out between 2026 and 2027 after that date.
If Philly deals Brown before June 1, they will be on the hook for $43.3 million. If they trade him after June, that cap hit drops to $16.3 million — a more palatable amount for an Eagles team that remains firmly in the win-now window.
While Brown remains on the Eagles’ roster as of Wednesday, several Patriots players were candid when asked about the various trade rumors linking New England to the former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.
Milton Williams — who won a Super Bowl alongside Brown with the Eagles in February 2025 — was asked if he had any influence in moving his former teammate to Foxborough.
“You see the noise, you see it,” Williams said. “[He’s a] Hell player. He can definitely help our team. But they don’t pay me for that.”
During Williams’ three seasons playing alongside Brown in Philadelphia, the 28-year-old receiver was one of the most productive players in the league — averaging 94 catches per season for an average of 1,458 yards and nine touchdowns.
Even during what looked like a down year for Brown and the Eagles’ offense in 2026, Brown still recorded 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns on 78 catches.
“Great guy,” Williams said of Brown. “A monster on the field, great in the locker room, he holds the players and himself accountable. That’s everything you want in a player of his caliber.”
Adding a receiver with Brown’s resume — including six 1,000-plus yard seasons — would be a welcome sight Drake May And the Patriots offense is looking to overcome last season’s postseason slump.
While Maye acknowledged that nothing has been set in stone regarding a potential blockbuster deal, the 23-year-old QB noted that it was difficult to ignore the trade rumors at this point during the offseason.
“I think it’s part of the NFL,” Maye said of trade whispers. “They’re throwing names around each team, depending on who looks best in the graphic on the shirt on social media. So I’m really focusing – we’ve got some new players here that we’re working with.
“I know there’s a lot of talk [regarding Brown]But if he ends up on our team, that’s great. What a great player. And if he doesn’t, we still have to work with these guys here. It’s a balance, but I know he’s an exceptional player.
Maye and Williams aren’t the only Patriots players to have addressed a potential Brown trade to New England over the past few weeks.
Veteran safety Kevin Byard — who played alongside Brown at Tennessee before being dealt to Philly — praised the star’s talent earlier this month.
“He was unstoppable,” Byard said of Brown’s tenure with the Giants. “AJ is obviously still very talented, but this was a young AJ who had a lot to prove. He couldn’t be covered one-on-one. … I remember the first game he really showed up was against the Falcons in Atlanta, and he scored two goals.”
“I can remember him bumping into Mel and taking him home. At that point, I said, ‘Yes, he’ll be a dog.’ “He’s going to be a really good player, and it just took off from there.”
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