A.J. Brown Traded to Patriots, Eagles' NFL Draft Pick Return Package Revealed

After a 2025 season that appeared to be filled with tension, the Philadelphia Eagles have parted ways with star receiver A.J. Brown.

Brown was traded to the New England Patriots on Monday. The Eagles received a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in the deal, which ends Brown's four-year tenure in Philadelphia after the team acquired him from the Tennessee Titans in 2022.

The trade reunites Brown with head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached him for three years in Tennessee. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Sunday that the Patriots "remain confident that they can get this deal done," and now they got their man.

By waiting until after June 1 to trade Brown, the Eagles incurred a dead-money hit of $20 million, as opposed to the $40 million it would've been if he had been traded before that date.

Philadelphia used the No. 20 pick in the 2026 NFL draft to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, seemingly preparing for life without Brown. The team also acquired wideout Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers and signed veteran receiver Hollywood Brown earlier this offseason.

While Brown and the Eagles were coming off a Super Bowl title to end the 2024 campaign, the honeymoon phase ended quickly. Brown reached the 100-yard mark just twice in his first seven games before suffering a hamstring injury that caused him to miss a couple of weeks. After producing just 13 yards in his return to the field in Week 10, he let his frustrations be known during a livestream.

Brown eventually bounced back with three straight 100-yard games and finished the year with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns, his fourth straight 1,000-yard season and his sixth in his seven-year career. Still, it was clear throughout the year that something wasn't right.

The tension between Brown and the Eagles reached a boiling point when head coach Nick Sirianni berated him on the sidelines during their NFC Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers. Brown finished with just three catches for 25 yards in a 23-19 loss, which ended Philadelphia's chances for a second straight Super Bowl title.

Now, Brown will be moving forward with the Patriots, who went 14-3 and made a run to Super Bowl LX last season. He will immediately become the top target for quarterback Drake Maye following the departure of star wideout Stefon Diggs.

New England is certainly hoping that the addition of Brown can help fuel another run to the Super Bowl, and the 28-year-old will be motivated to chase a second championship ring following his messy departure from Philadelphia.