Eagles, Patriots Still Negotiating A.J. Brown Trade; Philadelphia Open To Accepting 2028 First-Round Pick
JUNE 1: Anderson reports discussions today will center around the possibility of 2027 draft picks being included in the long-awaited Brown trade. For now, though, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes this deal is still expected to consist of Brown being sent to New England for a 2028 first-rounder. The last-minute emergence of another suitor is not expected to take place.
MAY 28: The countdown to June 1 continues as it pertains to an A.J. Brown trade. The swap ending his Eagles tenure is still expected to take place and send him to New England, but there is work to be done between those two teams.
An official Brown-to-New England move is not guaranteed to be in place when it is first feasible to be finalized, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network cautions (video link). Brown’s contract will be far easier to absorb after June 1, something driving the lengthy waiting period before clarity emerges in his case. Rapoport confirms the Patriots remain the expected destination for Brown, 29 next month, so a reunion with head coach Mike Vrabel continues to loom.
Philadelphia and New England have not yet agreed to the price of a Brown trade, per Rapoport and The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson. Anderson adds a swap of picks may wind up taking place once the trade is official. A Day 1 selection continues to be sought out by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Especially if the Patriots wind up agreeing to meet it, it will be interesting to see if draft capital attached to Brown and his contract gets sought out by New England.
The Eagles discussed a Brown trade prior to last month’s draft, but their attention ultimately turned to next year’s edition. The 2027 class is held in very high regard (especially compared to this year’s), and that factor is no doubt driving part of New England’s hesitation to part with a first-rounder next year. Roseman has shown a willingness to take draft picks two years into the future as part of a trade, however. That could come into play in this case.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes the Eagles discussed a 2028 first-round pick when speaking about a Brown trade earlier this offseason. That conversation took place with a team other than the Patriots, he adds. The non-New England market on this front has been largely quiet, although the Rams have been mentioned as a suitor. Nevertheless, Los Angeles is now seen as being out of the running for Brown.
Across his four years with the Eagles, Brown racked up 5,034 yards and 32 receiving touchdowns. The three-time Pro Bowler helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LIX, but his level of satisfaction within the team’s offense in general and his on-field relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts in particular increasingly became a talking point over time. Indications from the team and Hurts have pointed to a separation being expected relatively soon. It still remains to be seen if trade terms can be worked out with the Patriots over the coming days, however.
Giants Arrange Workouts With JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios, Anthony Miller
Odell Beckham Jr. has completed his Monday workout with the Giants. He is far from the only free agent receiver New York is showing interest in, however.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios will take part in a workout today as well. The same is also true of Anthony Miller, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds. New York is seeking a depth addition at the WR spot following the recent injury suffered by Gunner Olszewski which is feared to be an Achilles tear.
Olszewski is of course best known for his special teams work. Berrios has been a regular in the return game through much of his career, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 for his success as a returner. If replacing Olszewski’s third phase contributions is the Giants’ primary goal, an agreement with Berrios would come as no surprise.
Miller also has experience on special teams, although his workload in that regard was lowered shortly upon arrival in the NFL. The 31-year-old made six appearances in 2024 with the Ravens. He remained with Baltimore for a brief period after being included among the team’s roster cuts last summer, but he was released from the practice squad in September.
Smith-Schuster spent three of the past four seasons as a member of the Chiefs. That span allowed him to overlap with Matt Nagy, who is now the Giants’ offensive coordinator. Smith-Schuster remained a regular on offense across the 2024 and ’25 seasons, though his production saw a notable downturn during that time compared to his debut campaign in Kansas City. A depth role on offense would be expected in the event of an agreement with New York and a resultant reunion with Nagy.
The Giants currently have $10.49MM in cap space. As a result, a low-cost addition aimed at replacing Olszewski should be viable. It will be interesting to see if a deal with one of the veterans working out today is finalized in short order or if the team elects to wait until closer to training camp to make an addition.