5 Teams That Should Trade for A.J. Brown That Aren't the Patriots

Now that Aaron Rodgers has agreed to rejoin the Pittsburgh Steelers, A.J. Brown's future is unquestionably the biggest unresolved situation in the NFL.

While the Philadelphia Eagles haven't committed to trading Brown just yet, the clock appears to be ticking on his time with the franchise. He wasn't present for the start of the team's voluntary offseason program, and many expect him to be dealt early next month—moving the 28-year-old before June 1 would cost the Eagles $20.1 million in additional 2026 cap space.

Brown has been linked to a New England trade for much of the offseason, and according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, he is "likely" to become a Patriot after June 1. However, there's plenty of time for other teams to get involved.

Here, we'll examine some teams not named New England that should make a push to acquire Brown this summer, based on factors like roster makeup, scheme fit, and franchise trajectory. First, though, let's take a close look at where things stand with Brown in Philadelphia.

The Latest A.J. Brown Buzz

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A.J. Brown

Brown has been a key member of the Eagles' offense since he was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in a 2022 draft-day trade. However, he was publicly critical of Philly's offense this past season, and it feels like his time as an Eagle has run its course.

As noted, New England has been the rumored destination for Brown.

"I still think that once we get to June, that these two sides will get together and complete a trade that'll send AJ Brown to the New England Patriots," ESPN's Adam Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show.

However, Brown isn't guaranteed to land with the Patriots. According to Bleacher Report NFL Insider James Palmer, the Eagles will continue trying to create a market for the three-time Pro Bowler.

"If you think Howie Roseman for a second is not going to be calling every other team, and I mean not just taking calls, but making calls to other teams on A.J. Brown, you're a fool," Palmer told Kay Adams of Up & Adams (h/t Ryan Ward of Heavy).

And other teams have reportedly been interested. According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo (h/t Bleacher Report's Zach Bachar), the Los Angeles Rams were "really close" to acquiring Brown earlier this offseason.

Trade talks are likely to pick up just before or after June 1, for financial reasons. If the Eagles trade Brown after that date, they'll save just over $7 million in 2026 cap space instead of losing cap flexibility.

While Brown will turn 29 next month, he's topped 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, and he should be available at a relatively fair price. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler told 97.5 The Fanatic that a first-round pick, possibly in 2028, is probably the most the Eagles can expect in return.

Which other teams should make a play at that price point? Let's take a look.

Baltimore Ravens

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Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens shook things up a bit this offseason, replacing head coach John Harbaugh with Jesse Minter. However, much of the roster remains unchanged, and Lamar Jackson is still the quarterback.

One of the biggest issues Jackson has faced to this point in his career is a lack of overall receiver talent. Zay Flowers is a fine top target, but the depth behind him has been lacking for some time.

No other wideout reached 350 receiving yards for the Ravens last season.

The Ravens did use third- and fourth-round picks on Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, but they may need time to develop. Acquiring Brown now would immediately give Jackson a legitimate perimeter playmaker next to Flowers.

While Baltimore's offense may remain very run-oriented with Jackson and Derrick Henry in the backfield, new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle would benefit from more options in the passing game. Brown would give him a tremendous one.

Baltimore should be looking to maximize its Super Bowl window with Jackson, who will turn 30 in January. Making a move for Brown would help do exactly that.

Indianapolis Colts

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Colts head coach Shane Steichen

The Indianapolis Colts have made it pretty clear that they believe they can win now. They traded for Sauce Gardner at last year's trade deadline and signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million deal this offseason.

Trading for Brown could help the Colts win now—or, at least as soon as Jones is fully recovered from a torn Achilles. It would also make a good amount of sense.

While Indianapolis signed big-play receiver Alec Pierce to a four-year, $114 million contract this offseason, it also traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers. Pierce, Josh Downs, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine form a serviceable trio on paper. However, the Colts could use a big-bodied possession receiver after dealing Pittman.

Brown would be an ideal replacement. Though he doesn't possess the length of Pittman (6'4"), he's still a bigger receiver (6'1", 226 lbs) with a proven ability to win contested catches. He has also proven himself under head coach Shane Steichen, who was Philly's offensive coordinator during Brown's inaugural Eagles campaign.

The fact that the Eagles may be willing to accept a 2028 draft pick is very relevant. Indy owes its 2027 first-rounder to the New York Jets as part of the Gardner trade.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

To be clear, this is a list of teams that should be interested in trading for Brown. The Kansas City Chiefs should at least kick the tires on a trade, as the team lacks overall depth at the position and faces uncertainty surrounding top target Rashee Rice.

Schefter reported that Rice is expected to be sidelined for at least two months after undergoing "a clean-up surgery" on his knee. According to ESPN's Nate Taylor and Michael Rothstein, he will also miss OTAs and minicamp as he serves a short jail sentence stemming from a probation violation.

Rice was the only wide receiver to average more than 50 receiving yards per game in Kansas City this past season.

However, none of this guarantees that the Chiefs will be interested in trading for Brown. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes they won't.

"Do they go back? Do they circle back and maybe look at the idea of trading for A.J. Brown? I don't think that happens," Breer said on Wednesday's episode of The Breer Report (h/t Bleacher Report's Doric Sam). "They had that opportunity. They were on A.J. Brown's list. They said no to the Eagles in the first place."

Still, adding Brown would make sense for a team that is hoping to get back in the Super Bowl mix with a healthy Patrick Mahomes in 2026.

Head coach Andy Reid recently told NFL Network's The Insiders that Mahomes is "doing great" in his recovery from a torn ACL.

Los Angeles Rams

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Rams head coach Sean McVay

While the Rams ultimately didn't flip the switch on an early offseason Brown trade, it sounds like they got excruciatingly close.

"There was one point where overnight it sort of died," Garafolo explained (h/t Bachar). "It was like, 'Late one night, this could be going down by the next morning. You know what, there's too many moving parts here.'"

Reengaging with the Eagles would make a ton of sense for Los Angeles, which has its own uncertainty at the receiver position. Puka Nacua checked into rehab in April and is entering a contract year—though, head coach Sean McVay hopes Nacua is "a Ram for a really long time," per ESPN's Sarah Barshop.

Davante Adams is also entering a contract year and will turn 34 in December. McVay also admitted in March that the Rams considered trading Adams but ultimately decided against it.

The Rams are clearly trying to win now while also building for the future, as evidenced by their trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie and subsequent drafting of quarterback Ty Simpson. Adding Brown would give Matthew Stafford a premium target for this season, while ensuring L.A. has a go-to receiver in 2027, regardless of who is behind center.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/John Locher

Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza

Unlike the Patriots and the other teams on this list, the Las Vegas Raiders aren't expected to be chasing the postseason in 2026. However, trading for Brown would still be logical for a couple of reasons.

For one, Las Vegas will spend the next few seasons developing rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. While the Raiders have put some nice pieces in place for Mendoza, including Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and Tyler Linderbaum, they lack a No. 1 receiver.

Secondly, as Fowler noted, the Raiders might be able to snag Brown for a 2028 first-round pick, which would be huge.

While journeyman Kirk Cousins may play for most or all of 2026, this is expected to be a transition year for the Raiders. Las Vegas won't want to deal what could be an early first-rounder in a 2027 class that could feature the likes of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Jeremiah Smith.

Dealing a 2028 pick for Brown would maintain Las Vegas' options in 2027 while giving Mendoza a No. 1 perimeter target for the early stages of his career.

After the draft, Raiders GM John Spytek told Up & Adams (beginning at the 10-second mark) that he's happy with his receiver room. However, Brown would be a difference-making addition, and he's under contract through 2029.

*Contract information via Spotrac.