After months of speculation, the A.J. Brown saga will finally reach an expected conclusion. The Eagles are trading the star wide receiver to the Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The fifth-round selection will be the higher of the two New England owns (it also had Chicago’s), per Albert Breer of SI.com. Both teams have announced the trade, which is pending a physical.
This is the second trade centering on Brown, who entered the NFL as the Titans’ second-rounder in 2019. Brown excelled in his three years in Tennessee, but after a contract impasse, the team dealt him to the Eagles for a first- and third-rounder in 2022. The swap worked out beautifully for Philadelphia, which gave Brown a four-year, $100MM extension and saw him turn into one of the greatest players in franchise history. He earned second-team All-Pro honors three times and picked up three Pro Bowl nods during his four years as an Eagle. Brown was also an integral part of a Super Bowl-winning team in 2024.
The soon-to-be 29-year-old Brown wrapped up his Eagles tenure with 339 receptions, 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns in 62 regular-season games. He played full seasons in Philadelphia from 2022-23, but knee and ankle issues held him out of four games in 2024. He missed another two contests last year with a hamstring injury, but Brown still led the Eagles in targets (121) and catches (78). He finished second on the team in yards (1,003) and touchdowns (seven). However, Brown voiced dissatisfaction with the Eagles’ struggling offense at various points in 2025. Owner Jeffrey Lurie met with Brown in mid-November and asked him to stop airing his grievances on social media.
The Eagles were an excellent 7-2 when Lurie visited with Brown, but they played .500 ball for the rest of the year. While that was enough for an 11-6 finish and a second straight NFC East title, the Eagles flamed out in the wild-card round. The offense looked lifeless in a 23-19 home loss to the 49ers, who held Brown to just three catches and 25 yards on seven targets. He dropped two passes and had a memorable first-half sideline dust-up with head coach Nick Sirianni. Although Sirianni downplayed it afterward and said the two “have a special relationship,” the incident added fuel to a potential trade at the outset of the Eagles’ offseason.
Despite Brown’s dissatisfaction with how last year went, general manager Howie Roseman was not going to give him away for anything less than a major offer. Roseman originally wanted a first- and second-rounder for Brown, who reportedly had the Patriots, Chiefs, Bills and Chargers on his wish list. However, only the Patriots and Rams were aggressive in talks for Brown.
After the draft passed with no deal, Roseman sought a first-rounder in what many expect to be a loaded 2027 class. Nobody bit, though, and the Rams wound up dropping out of the running. That left New England as the obvious destination for Brown, who will now reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. The two formed a rapport when they were together in Tennessee for three years.
It was far more palatable from a financial standpoint for the Eagles to part with Brown after 4 p.m. ET on June 1, which largely explains the delay. Had Roseman traded Brown before then, the Eagles would have taken on a $43.51MM dead cap hit and lost $20.12MM in spending space. Waiting enables the Eagles to spread that money over the next two seasons ($16.35MM in 2026 and $27.1MM in ’27). They will also pick up $7MM in cap room this season. They entered the day with approximately $24.84MM available.
The Patriots came into the day with over $43MM in cap space, giving them plenty of room to take on Brown’s contract. He signed a second Eagles extension – a four-year, $96MM pact with $84MM in guarantees – in April 2024. That deal runs through 2029. While it remains to be seen whether he’ll play all it all the way through, he will give the Patriots and franchise quarterback Drake Maye a much-needed No. 1 receiver in the near term.
Stefon Diggs was New England’s most productive receiver during its shocking 14-3 regular season and run to Super Bowl LX last season. However, a few weeks after the Seahawks knocked off the Patriots in the Super Bowl, they released Diggs. The Pats subsequently brought in former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $68MM agreement in free agency, though he has been more of a No. 2/3 during his four-year career.
Brown and Doubs are in line to start for New England in 2026, while Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams are also among those in the fold. It is worth pointing out that the addition of Brown could bump someone from that group. Specifically, recent reports have named Boutte and Douglas as players who might be in jeopardy.
Joining the third team of his career, Brown will shoot for his seventh 1,000-yard season in 2026. His presence will be difficult for the Eagles to replace, but they did their best to prepare for his exit throughout the offseason. Before drafting former USC standout Makai Lemon 20th overall, the Eagles traded for ex-Packer Dontayvion Wicks and signed Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency.
Moore is not a lock to make the roster, but Lemon, Wicks and Marquise Brown are sure to give quarterback Jalen Hurts options behind new No. 1 wideout DeVonta Smith. The Eagles also have a pair of talented pass-catching tight ends in Dallas Goedert and second-rounder Eli Stowers, the 54th pick in the draft. It will be up to rookie offensive coordinator Sean Mannion to make it work as the Eagles begin life after Brown.
Eagles fans complaining that Eagles received less than they initially got years ago in 3 2 1
Dear sweet baby Jesus in the manger please let him pass the physical so this can be over
Eagles got a Superbowl win with him as #1 … So…
If Brown still has most of his ability left for a couple of years, this is great for Maye, but great job by the Eagles securing a future first. I was just saying the other day one reason Howie Roseman does such a good job is that he has the job security to think a couple years ahead, which is part of how the Eagles regularly have extra early round picks. Trading a first round pick for Brown, going to two Super Bowls, and then trading him for a first again is great business. (I know there’s more to it than that, but you get the point.)
Overpay…. absolutely no way they should have given up a 1st round pick.
Totally agree
Ur nuts
I really think some of that value comes from the Pats paying the Eagles to not file a tampering complaint. Howie’s always been very quick to complain about tampering in the past and this time Crickets. Says a lot.
Eagles are gonna net another top10 pick bc New England is going to be bad this year I bet
That would be the 2027 pick bud, this is for 2028
That’s gonna be a top 15 pick when the Eagles use it in 2028. Brown will probably be on a different team by then too.
Howie’s going to use that #1 before it ever gets made. Mark my words.
Was somehow hoping Pats could get this down to a second. A dream apparently
Better than pushed to 2028. That 2027 pick could be top 10. Maybe higher.
In terms of value, a 1st rd pick 2 years from now is considered worth a 2nd rd pick today.
and if you believe this had been in place since prior to this draft, then its technically two drafts away which puts the value at a 3rd….
That may be true for most GM’s who don’t
have job security, but Howie will be here for the long run and a 1st Rounder is a 1st Rounder. No telling where the Pats will be in 2 years.
Thrilled with this both for the return and for the fact physical pending we can stop hearing about it
I’m also thrilled the Eagles kept the right WR. Ever since we traded for Brown I was worried Smiths days here were numbered.
If you think Smith steps in for Brown and the Birds lose nothing all I have to say is Bwa bwa bwa bwa bwa.
You obviously haven’t watched Smith the last two years. He was by far the better receiver the last two seasons and without the drama and the incessant ‘feed me’ BS. When they started throwing more to AJ after his whining, the team got worse. Lemon will be good, the rest of the WR corps is deeper and they have a much more creative OC.
Everybody and their grandmother knew this was happening. Eagles front office has been preparing for this since March. Look at the wr moves they made too.
Diani was right
Win for the Patriots near term, basically a salary dump from the Eagles… Those massive downstream years come off the books essential to resign Carter, Q Mitchell and DeJean to extensions. Pats easily absorb that salary. Question is…. What’s are the Patriots now facing a first place schedule? NFL remains king.
The Eagles will be fine. Addition by subtraction as Brown was a distraction plus adding Lemon , the other new WR’s and a non-braindead OC will work out fine for them. Howie will work magic with that #1 pick when time comes.
I hate it’s a 2028 pick. I much rather had a 2027 1st but we can use it in a trade-up next year if we need
Howie had to really pry that extra pick out of New England. LOL well done.
And it’s the better of 2 5ths 😉
Pats fans here complaining able an overpay? Nope. You got great value, had a need and got it on your terms so….shut it.
Thank God please play there until you retire
only pats fans can complain about needing a top 10 wr, then they get one and dont like the price tag….and I’m a pats fan
Amazing no one mentions this part… They have big defensive contracts coming for young talent: from Jimmy Kempsky. Throw in a 1&5? Eagles did ok.
“There will be major savings for the Eagles in 2027, 2028, and 2029, when Brown was scheduled to count for $133,121,609 on the cap during those three seasons combined. That’s over $44 million per season.”
If I were a Broncos fan, I’d be absolutely pissed that my team traded MORE for J Waddle, while AJ Brown was available.
The predictable outcome and the teams don’t even face each other during the regular season, so the hype machine will have to be focused elsewhere now.