New Patriots Rumors on A.J. Brown Trade Talks, Stefon Diggs, Isaiah Likely in 2026 NFL Free Agency

Looking to boost their pass-catching depth coming off an appearance in the Super Bowl, the New England Patriots continue to be mentioned as a potential landing spot for A.J. Brown.

Per The Athletic's Chad Graff, New England's interest in Brown could depend on how talks with Stefon Diggs about restructuring his deal go:

"The Patriots will make a call soon on Stefon Diggs' future, and that could mean cutting the 32-year-old or restructuring his contract as soon as next week. Diggs, who became the first New England wide receiver in six years to top 1,000 yards in a season, is set to carry a $26.5 million cap hit in 2026. His contract guarantees him $6 million if he's on the roster on March 13."

As Graff points out, the Patriots will be "active" in trade talks with the Philadelphia Eagles for Brown if things don't work out with Diggs and the free-agent market becomes less robust if someone like Alec Pierce gets the franchise tag from the Indianapolis Colts.

Another way to upgrade their pass-catching unit is focusing on tight end, with Graff citing Isaiah Likely as someone the Patriots would have interest in "at the right price."

Diggs was part of an incredible free-agent class for the Patriots last offseason. He signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract in March 2025.

The four-time Pro Bowler was coming off a torn ACL that limited him to eight games with the Houston Texans in 2024. He had no issues returning to near-peak form with 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in 17 starts with New England.

There doesn't necessarily have to be urgency to rework Diggs' contract because the Patriots have $42.7 million in projected cap space heading into free agency, but this is an opportunity for them to add better talent around Drake Maye.

Brown's future in Philadelphia has been a talking point going back to the 2025 regular season when he seemed at times to be frustrated with the offense.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni added more fuel to the fire this week by saying he "can't guarantee" how anything will play out this offseason when asked about Brown remaining with the team.

The Patriots would make for a natural landing spot for Brown given their need at wide receiver and his connection with Mike Vrabel from their three seasons together with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to '21.

Tight end is another position the Patriots could stand to upgrade. Hunter Henry led the team with seven receiving touchdowns and finished second with 768 receiving yards, but he is 31 and heading into the final year of his contract.

Per Spotrac, Likely's market value projection is a two-year deal worth $17.6 million. Even factoring in some inflation that comes with free agency, a potential average annual salary in the $9 million range would be right in line with what Henry earns on his current contract.

Likely was very hit-and-miss in his four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. The upside is high for a player who will only turn 26 on April 18 and has caught 15 touchdowns in 63 games despite primarily being the No. 2 tight end in Baltimore behind Mark Andrews.