New A.J. Brown Trade Rumors Reveal Projected Return for Eagles WR amid Patriots Links

Any trade involving A.J. Brown between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots is likely to involve a first-round pick, though it may not come at the highly-regarded 2027 NFL draft.

"[The Patriots] want Brown. And the Eagles are willing to move on from Brown. And I expect that this trade will come together on June 1," ESPN's Adam Schefter said during a Tuesday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (41:40 mark). "Neither side is committed to it, but both I believe are expected to make it happen. They'll revisit it. It's not going to be hard to get done. The Eagles are open to moving him, the Patriots want him, and I believe in the end it will involve a future first-round draft pick. My guess is 2028, but let's see what the two sides finally figure out there in the end."

Many draft pundits and NFL executives believe the 2027 draft is loaded, so it would make sense if the Patriots tried to push off the compensation they give up until 2028. The Eagles, on the other hand, are likely to want that first-round selection next year, which could be one of the sticking points in talks.

There has also been the presumption that the Patriots are the frontrunners to land Brown, though the Eagles would certainly love for other wideout-needy teams to reach out and drive up the price.

As for the June 1 date, the Eagles would be able to split the $43 million in dead cap space they would incur between the 2026-27 seasons, making the move more financially viable.

Philly has stocked up on wideouts this offseason, adding USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first round of the NFL draft, along with trading for Dontayvion Wicks and signing Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore, ostensibly in preparation for a Brown trade. The Patriots didn't draft a wideout, meanwhile, so we can all read the tea leaves here.