A.J. Brown Hyped by Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel, More at Patriots Minicamp After Eagles Trade

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel have been impressed with wide receiver A.J. Brown during mandatory minicamp after he was recently acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maye compared Brown's experience in the playoffs to former Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs.

"He knows what it's like to win, and he's someone in that room that we were looking for," Maye told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "I think that's the best thing. Stefon Diggs provided it for us last year. Now there have been guys that are growing in their roles, but just coming in with that stature, his ability, his size, and just the respect that you walk in there with, that kind of Stef had, A.J.'s got it, too."

As for Vrabel, he praised Brown's mindset as he joined a new team.

"I think he has showed up with a great attitude, and I have enjoyed watching his interactions with the other players on the team," Vrabel told Reiss. "I think that is probably the thing that I'm most excited about right now."

On June 1, New England acquired Brown from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

The three-time Pro Bowler spent the past four seasons with the Eagles, helping them make three playoff appearances and defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

Last year, Brown reeled in 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games.

He should play a key role in a New England passing attack that didn't feature much variety in 2025 despite advancing to the Super Bowl, as Diggs was the team's only wide receiver to record at least 600 yards.

It's an encouraging sign for the Patriots that Brown is already making a strong impression on his new teammates and coaching staff.