A.J. Brown's Impact Compared to Rob Gronkowski by Patriots' McDaniels After Trade with Eagles

A.J. Brown shouldn't have to worry about his volume of targets with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots acquired Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, ending what had been a months-long saga. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is clearly excited to utilize the three-time Pro Bowler, comparing him to retired tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Gronkowski was the quintessential matchup nightmare. At 6'6" and 265 pounds, he was too big for opposing cornerbacks and too fast for opposing linebackers.

The best version of Gronk was one of the most dominant pass-catchers of his era. Between 2011-15, he had 55 touchdown grabs in 64 games.

Not only does he play a different position from Gronk, but Brown is also four inches shorter and nearly 40 pounds lighter. There isn't much overlap between the two.

His impact on the aerial game could at least match what Gronkowski brought to the table years ago. You have to go back even further to Randy Moss, whose last season in New England in 2010, to find a Pats wideout who's as consistently dynamic downfield as Brown.

The 28-year-old had a frustrating final season in Philly. His 12.9 yards per reception were a career low, and his average depth of target (11.0 yards) was his lowest since 2020, per Pro Football Reference.

Either Brown is losing a step or Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts couldn't or wouldn't test opposing defenses on deeper throws.

Pats star Drake Maye, on the other hand, led the NFL with 8.9 yards per attempt. His approach should be more conducive to getting the best out of the team's marquee addition.

McDaniels, for his part, sounds ready to draw up plenty of plays that give Brown a big platform.