Rams Offered First-Round Pick For A.J. Brown; Latest On WR’s Issues With Jalen Hurts
The Patriots’ trade for A.J. Brown was more than a year in the making.
New England checked in on the star wide receiver multiple times in 2025, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, including during the offseason and around the trade deadline. The Eagles initially lacked interest in a deal, but by the end of the season, Brown wanted out of Philadelphia.
His frustrations with the offense had mounted over the past two years. In that span, the unit averaged just 206.3 passing yards per game, the third-fewest in the NFL. Of particular concern was Jalen Hurts‘ “perceived reluctance to target Brown on tight-window throws against zone coverage,” according to ESPN.
Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin once said that he wants “volunteers, not hostages,” in response to a question about All-Pro running Le’Veon Bell‘s holdout. The phrase tends to hold true around the NFL, especially for players like Brown who are unafraid to cryptically or explicitly express their feelings about their situations. After he decided he no longer wanted to be an Eagle, the team was more open to a trade when the Patriots re-engaged at the Combine.
Philadelphia still demanded a hefty asking price – “a first-rounder plus another high-end pick,” per Breer – though the team did not seek a second first-round selection in the deal. A soft trade market drove down the price. Brown listed New England among his four preferred landing spots in the AFC. Neither the Chiefs nor the Chargers made headway towards a deal, and the Bills filled their wide receiver need by acquiring D.J. Moore from the Bears.
The Eagles considered sending Brown to an NFC team – and not just any NFC team, but one already seen as an early Super Bowl favorite. The Rams offered a 2028 first-rounder, but the deal failed to materialize due to medical concerns about Brown’s degenerative knee condition. Los Angeles also intended to move Davante Adams to open up more targets in their offense, but that trade was scuttled, too.
Philadelphia’s willingness to take a 2028 first opened a door with the Patriots, who wanted to hang onto their first-round pick in what is expected to be a strong 2027 draft. Both sides were confident enough in a deal by the 2026 draft in April that they acted as though the trade was already done. The Eagles added a trio of veteran receivers (Elijah Moore, Marquise Brown, and Dontayvion Wicks) and traded up for USC’s Makai Lemon in the first round. The Patriots declined to select a wideout at all.
Completing the trade after June 1 had long been a financial requirement for the Eagles. Once that date came, the two sides got together to hammer out the final terms of the deal, which included a 2027 fifth-rounder heading from New England to Philly.
The Patriots will be hoping that Brown can quickly build (and maintain) a rapport with quarterback Drake Maye to avoid similar issues to those he had with Hurts. The Eagles, meanwhile, seem to intend to replace Brown in the aggregate, at least right away. No single one of the receivers they added this offseason can replace his production and impact right away – though they likely expect Lemon to get there eventually – but combined, they offer significantly more depth than Philadelphia previously had at the position.
Pats Not ‘Exploring’ Stefon Diggs Reunion; TE Addition Possible
Although the Patriots released wide receiver Stefon Diggs in March, the four-time Pro Bowler was reportedly open to a new deal with the team as of mid-May. As expected, though, the Patriots went on to acquire wideout A.J. Brown from the Eagles a couple of weeks later. With Brown now the leader of a crowded receiving corps, Diggs will probably have to look elsewhere.
When head coach Mike Vrabel met with reporters Wednesday, he downplayed the chances of the Patriots re-signing Diggs, saying (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald), “Right now, I don’t think that that’s something that I think we’re exploring, but I would never say no.”
Diggs gave the Patriots strong production in what ended up as the only season of his three-year, $63.3MM contract with the team. In his return from the torn ACL he suffered in 2024 with the Texans, Diggs stayed healthy and led the Patriots in receptions (85), targets (121) and yards (1,013). He also caught four touchdowns, helping the Pats to a remarkable one-year turnaround in which they went from 4-13 to 14-3.
New England advanced all the way to Super Bowl LX, but the team couldn’t overcome Seattle in a 29-13 loss. The Patriots gave Diggs the ax a few weeks later and opened up $16.8MM in cap space at the cost of $9.7MM in dead money. At the time, Diggs was facing strangulation and assault charges for an alleged incident with his former personal chef. He was found not guilty in early May, though the league has continued to review the matter. It is unclear if he will face any discipline.
While the 32-year-old Diggs may be the best receiver left in free agency, Vrabel noted the Patriots are “happy” with the options they have. Beyond Brown, the club has expensive free agent pickup Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins,2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism in its top seven. Hollins and Williams are “near-locks” for roster spots, according to Kyed. On the other hand, Boutte has come up as a trade candidate. He is reportedly open to a change of scenery, but the fourth-year man claims he is still content in New England.
“I wouldn’t mind being here,” Boutte said this week (via Chad Graff of The Athletic): “I do want to be here.”
With Brown and Doubs playing on big-money deals, Boutte is not in good position to sign an extension as he heads into a contract year, Graff notes. At the same time, Graff does not believe the Patriots are so well off at the position that they would give Boutte away for a late-round pick. Meanwhile, Douglas is reportedly on the roster bubble and might lose his spot to Chism, who could be the Patriots’ kick returner.
Although another agreement with Diggs appears unlikely, the Patriots may be in the market for tight end help after losing Julian Hill to an undisclosed injury. They brought in the former Dolphin on a three-year, $15MM pact in free agency, but he abruptly went on season-ending IR on June 1.
Asked about a potential tight end addition, Vrabel said (via Kyed), “I think that’s somewhere where we’d have to address.”
The Patriots have a clear-cut No. 1 tight end in Hunter Henry. They also drafted Eli Raridon in the third round this year. CJ Dippre, Jack Westover and undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin round out the group, but they could have company soon.
Patriots LB Gabe Jacas Underwent Surgery, Absent From Minicamp
Second-round edge rusher Gabe Jacas is the only Patriots draft pick who hasn’t signed their rookie pact. The Illinois product has also yet to attend practices, including today’s opening of mandatory minicamp. When asked about the status of the rookie, coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged that Jacas is recovering from a recent procedure.
“I don’t attribute it to anything other than he’s not here and he’s not under contract at this current time,” Vrabel told reporters about the player’s absence (via Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe). “I don’t want to say there’s a reason for it, other than that’s what it is right now.”
Vrabel was quick to clarify that he’s excited about what the rookie could bring to his squad. The coach added that the Patriots have been in communication with the pass-rusher and aren’t frustrated “one bit” by his absence.
“We’re excited about Gabe, the person that he is, the play style, the production in college, all that,” Vrabel said. “When that gets resolved, we’ll have him in here and we’ll coach him. I’m sure we’ll find a way for him to help our football team.”
While it’s uncertain what specifically led to the player’s surgery, Yang notes that Jacas was dealing with a hamstring injury that forced him to skip the scouting combine and Illinois Pro Day. He later held a private workout for NFL teams, where he earned his marks from scouts.
Beyond the injury, we’ve also seen a recent trend of second-round picks pushing for full guarantees on their rookie pacts. It’s uncertain if that’s currently a factor in Jacas’ no-show, and there’s a chance he may show his face once his representation agrees to terms with the franchise.
Jacas is coming off a successful four-year stint at Illinois, but he established himself as an early-round pick with his production over the past two years. The edge rusher tallied 19 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss between the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, leading to the Patriots using the 55th-overall pick on him.
The Patriots could certainly use a player of Jacas’ caliber, especially after they let K’Lavon Chaisson walk in free agency. The team signed Dre’Mont Jones to soak up some of those leftover snaps, but Jacas would be next in line for reps, assuming he’s able to catch up for the lost time.
CB Christian Gonzalez Attends Mandatory Minicamp, Wants To Stay With Patriots
Christian Gonzalez skipped Patriots OTAs as he pursues a new contract. While such a move naturally leads to questions about his future with the franchise, the star cornerback made it clear that he wants to stick in New England for the long haul. After attending today’s mandatory minicamp, Gonzalez reiterated his desire to ink an extension with the team that drafted him.
[RELATED: Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Absent From OTAs]
“Of course, I want to be here. I’ve said this multiple times,” Gonzalez told the New England beat (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I’ve been drafted here. I want to be rewarded as a Patriot. I love this town. I love this city. So of course I want to be here.”
When asked about his decision to attend mandatory practices (and avoid any fines), Gonzalez explained to reporters that he’s “got obligations.” The cornerback was also pressed on any self-imposed deadline regarding negotiations, with reporters explicitly asking him about his status for training camp later this summer.
“Training camp, I’m not worried about that,” Gonzalez said. “We are in mandatory minicamp right now, so that’s what we’re focused on as we get into that.”
The 2023 first-round pick just became extension eligible this offseason, so there’s no real urgency for the two sides to agree on a long-term pact. However, if the Patriots truly intend to keep Gonzalez around for the foreseeable future, it’d probably be in their best interest to agree to an extension sooner than later. Contracts at the position continue to explode, with Trent McDuffie recently reseting the cornerback market following his trade to the Rams.
McDuffie will earn a position-leading $124MM and $50MM in guaranteed money on his deal, and there’s a chance Gonzalez at least leaps his peer’s $31MM in average annual salary. It’s worth noting that fellow 2023 first-rounder Devon Witherspoon is also seeking an extension, and the Seahawks’ star notably has the same representation as Gonzalez. Whichever team gets to the finish line first may get a slight discount when all is said and done.
Gonzalez is coming off a productive two-year stretch that’s seen him emerge as one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks. He finished last season ranked 14th on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, and Gonzalez also had a standout performance in the playoffs (including the Super Bowl, where he was one of the few Patriots to show up).
After years of draft futility, the Patriots will have to navigate some expensive extensions over the next few years. Drake Maye will be extension eligible next offseason, so agreeing to a Gonzalez deal ASAP will provide the front office some cost certainty moving forward.
Patriots Sign First-Rounder Caleb Lomu
The Patriots have signed first-round offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to his fully guaranteed rookie contract, the team announced. As the 28th overall pick, the former Utah standout’s four-year deal is worth approximately $18.92MM.
The 2026 draft marked the second straight year that the Patriots addressed offensive tackle in Round 1. They spent the fourth pick in 2025 on Will Campbell, who was a full-time blindside starter as a rookie.
Although Campbell drew major criticism after a rough showing in the Patriots’ 29-13 Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks, he played well during the regular season and will remain in the same role this year. The plan is for Lomu to eventually take over on the right side. But with veteran starter Morgan Moses back for another season, Lomu will be the Patriots’ primary swing tackle in 2026.
As the reigning AFC champions, the Patriots went into the draft with the 31st pick. They moved up three spots in a trade with the AFC East rival Bills to land Lomu, a two-year starter in college. Utes teammate Spencer Fano, who went ninth overall to the Browns in this year’s draft, moved from left to right tackle to accommodate Lomu in 2024. Lomu went on to earn freshman All-America honors that year. The 6-foot-6, 313-pounder was even better in 2025, during which he played 823 snaps and did not allow a sack. Lomu picked up a first-team All-Big 12 nod for his efforts.
With Lomu now under contract, the Pats are almost done with their rookie signings. Second-round edge defender Gabe Jacas is the only member of their nine-player draft class who hasn’t put pen to paper. Here is the full group:
- Round 1, No. 28 (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 55 (from Chargers): Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
- Round 3, No. 95: Eli Raridon (TE, Notre Dame) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 171: Karon Prunty (CB, Wake Forest) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 196 (from Colts via Vikings, Panthers and Jaguars): Dametrious Crownover (T, Texas A&M) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 212: Namdi Obiazor (LB, TCU) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 234 (from Vikings): Behren Morton (QB, Texas Tech) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 245 (from Rams via Texans and Jaguars): Jamarion Miller (RB, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 247: Quintayvious Hutchins (EDGE, Boston College) (signed)
Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Absent From OTAs; Extension Before Week 1 Likely?
JUNE 7: While Gonzalez skipped OTAs, he was at least in town during the voluntary practices, as Volin observed. In Volin’s view, that suggests Gonzalez is hopeful he and the team will be able to come to terms on a new deal.
MAY 31: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has not been present for the team’s recent voluntary work, including the Wednesday OTA session that was open to the media, as ESPN’s Mike Reiss relays. Gonzalez is now eligible for an extension and is likely eyeing a top-of-the-market deal, so it is fair to consider this a contract-related absence, particularly since the 2023 first-rounder had participated in the voluntary portion of the Pats’ offseason program in each of his first three NFL seasons.
The fact that Gonzalez is under club control through the 2027 campaign by virtue of his fifth-year option means the Patriots still have some leverage here, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Gonzalez may well set a new high-water mark for corners in terms of average annual value on the new money portion of his second contract, but the remaining seasons on his rookie accord will limit his overall AAV (for instance, as Volin observes, Derek Stingley Jr.’s three-year, $90MM extension with the Texans was tacked on to the final year of his rookie deal and his fifth-year option season, giving him a five-year, $112MM commitment in practice).
Nonetheless, Volin does anticipate New England and Gonzalez will come to terms on an extension before Week 1. In addition to the usual benefits of wrapping up a deal of this nature well before an elite player starts to sniff free agency – even if the CB market has not skyrocketed like other premium positions – the Patriots likely will have their hands full with Drake Maye negotiations in 2027.
Gonzalez, who will turn 24 next month and who recently expressed a desire to remain in Foxborough for the long haul, has submitted back-to-back standout seasons after being limited to four games as a rookie due to a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2024, and despite missing the first three contests of the ‘25 season due to a hamstring ailment, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
As a key member of the Patriots’ AFC-winning outfit, Gonzalez was awarded a strong 75.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which made him the site’s 14th-best corner out of 112 qualified players. He was also one of New England’s lone standouts during their Super Bowl LX loss, making some timely stops while allowing just one catch.
Fellow 2023 first-rounder Devon Witherspoon is also seeking an extension, and as we have noted on several occasions, the Seahawks’ star and Gonzalez share the same representation. They know the second member of the duo to put pen to paper will likely get the better deal, and as Volin suggests, neither of them wants to be the first to blink.
Witherspoon and Seattle reportedly are not close to finalizing an agreement.
A.J. Brown Fallout: Roseman, Rams, Hurts
The long-awaited A.J. Brown trade between the Eagles and Patriots finally came together on Monday. Before agreeing to ship out a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder for Brown, the Patriots held out hope the Eagles would accept a package headlined by a second-rounder, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The sides began discussing the 2028 first-rounder about a month ago, Rapoport adds.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was not going to move Brown unless he got a Round 1 selection back, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.
Speaking with the media on Monday, Roseman said: “I think that when we looked at the totality of the circumstances and having the conversations we had with him, felt like where we were, where we were going, where he was, that if we could find something that kind of achieved our goals of getting a first-round pick going forward here in the near future, getting the money back to spend on other players on our team and other teams, and it was a win-win situation based on where he was and how he felt, we were open to that.”
The first-rounder Roseman received is still two years down the line, but having to wait isn’t a big deal to him.
“We’ve always been in the mindset a pick is a pick — a first-round pick is a first-round pick,” he said. “Doesn’t matter. Teams are still going to be playing football in 2028.”
The Eagles now have two firsts in 2028, which Roseman regards as “a huge, huge part of this move.” Meanwhile, the Patriots have a new No. 1 receiver in Brown, a three-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro who is entering his age-29 campaign. Brown will reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel, a key figure earlier in his career in Tennessee. Brown played for Vrabel over his first three seasons.
In a post-trade interview with Maria Taylor on “7PM in Brooklyn,” Brown revealed he thought his “time was up” in Philadelphia after the season. While Brown went over 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his seven-year career, he voiced frustration with the Eagles’ sputtering offense on multiple occasions. Brown admitted he should have gone about things differently in public and on social media, but he noted: “Nothing I said was ever for personal gain. it was to help the team win.”
Philadelphia ran roughshod over the NFL during a 14-win regular season in 2024 and capped off the campaign with a blowout victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. The team took home its second straight NFC East title last year, but it hardly resembled the juggernaut from the previous season. The Eagles went 11-6 and quickly bowed out of the playoffs in a wild-card round loss to the 49ers. Brown believes the defending champion Eagles pressed as a result of the high expectations they placed on themselves. He also revealed he and quarterback Jalen Hurts drifted apart during the season.
“Not as close as we once were,” Brown said. “And I believe that’s fine. There’s no bad blood. There’s actually still a lot of love.”
Brown will now work with a new quarterback in the Patriots’ Drake Maye, though there was a possibility of him joining Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. The Rams ultimately bowed out of trade talks, leaving New England as the only real suitor for Brown. It turns out the Rams backed out because they “weren’t satisfied by what they saw” in Brown’s medicals, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer said on the “unCovering the Birds” podcast.
Brown has a history of knee issues, but Roseman downplayed that when McLane asked and lauded the receiver’s durability. He missed six of a possible 68 regular-season games with the Eagles, though a few of those absences came as a result of hamstring problems.
When asked about his knee after the trade, Brown responded (via Karen Guregian of MassLive.com): “Maybe in four years I’ve missed one game from a shot to the knee. So, that’s nothing to worry about. I’m ready to go.”
Pats’ Kayshon Boutte Interested In Trade
Although the Patriots had not yet acquired receiver A.J. Brown from the Eagles, they made fellow wideout Kayshon Boutte available in the lead-up to the draft in April. While a deal has not occurred, Boutte’s status in New England has remained in question. Now that Brown is on the roster, having joined the team in a trade on Monday, it looks like a strong possibility the Patriots will ship out Boutte before the season.
For his part, Boutte has been interested in a trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on his podcast on Tuesday. A summer deal involving Boutte may be something to watch for, according to Schefter. Albert Breer of SI.com reported last month that the Patriots would likely take a fifth- or sixth-round pick in return for Boutte, who has not attended voluntary OTAs (although he does plan to report for mandatory minicap, as Dan Roche of WBZ-TV passes along in a video link).
Boutte has been a member of the Pats since they chose him in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. The former LSU Tiger got off to a slow start in a five-game, two-catch rookie season, but he has taken on a much bigger role in the Patriots’ offense since then.
Over 15 games and 13 starts in 2024, quarterback Drake Maye‘s rookie campaign, Boutte caught 43 of 68 targets for 589 yards (13.7 YPC) and three touchdowns. Although Boutte missed three more games last year, he made 10 starts for the AFC champions and hauled in 33 of 46 targets for 551 yards. He set career bests in yards per catch (16.6), TDs (six) and drop percentage (2.2). Maye, who was the MVP runner-up, recorded a 133.1 passer rating when he targeted Boutte.
Now that Brown is in the fold, the Patriots have something of a logjam at receiver, which could seal Boutte’s fate. Brown and big-money free agent signing Romeo Doubs are locked in as starters. Mack Hollins (who led Patriots receivers in snaps last year), DeMario Douglas, second-year man Kyle Williams and Efton Chism are also in the fold. Like Boutte, Douglas does not look like a lock to remain in New England. He could be fighting Chism for a roster spot.
In the event the Patriots find a taker for Boutte, he could at least give an acquiring team an affordable stopgap. Boutte is entering the last season of his rookie contract and due a $3.67MM salary. Another club could extend Boutte, which seems unlikely to happen in New England with the expensive Brown-Doubs duo on the books.
Pats Acquire A.J. Brown From Eagles
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 has Chicago’s), per Albert Breer of SI.com. It’s a conditional pick, according to Howard Balzer of Cards Wire.
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).
Brown finished second on the Eagles’ 2025 squad in yards (1,003) and touchdowns (seven). However, Brown voiced displeasure over 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, Rams, 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 if Brown will play 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 in 2025. 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.
Raymond Berry Passes Away At 93
Hall of Fame player and coach Raymond Berry passed away two weekends ago at the age of 93, according to a statement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The wide receiver (or “split end”) entered the NFL with little fanfare when he was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 draft. He overcame the odds to make the team’s roster as a rookie, when he was limited to only 13 catches. However, he quickly emerged as a preferred target of Johnny Unitas over the following 12 years.
Berry earned four-straight All-Pro nods between 1957 and 1960, a stretch in which he averaged 60 catches for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns per season. He finished fifth in MVP voting in 1959 after hauling in a league-leading 14 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 1960 campaign where he established career-highs in receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,298).
He won championships with the Colts in both 1958 and 1959, and his participation in the “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in that 1958 championship contest established his spot in NFL lore. Berry hauled in 12 catches for 178 yards and a score in that game.
Berry ended up playing his entire 13-year career in Baltimore, finishing with 631 catches for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. When he retired at the end of the 1967 season, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yards.
Following his playing career, Berry entered the coaching ranks. He had stints as the WRs coach with the Cowboys, Lions, Browns, and Patriots, plus a three-year stretch coaching wideouts at Arkansas. He got his only head coaching gig with the Patriots in 1984, and he helped guide the organization to their first Super Bowl appearance during his first full season at the helm in 1985. He finished his head coaching career with a record of 48-39. He coached quarterbacks with the Lions (1991) and Broncos (1992) before calling it a career.
Berry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and he was later a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. His number 82 was retired by the Colts, and he was named a member of the Patriots 1980s All-Decade Team.
“People said Raymond Berry was not blessed with the size or speed of other receivers in the National Football League, but no one worked harder to refine his skills and master his craft. The chemistry he developed with quarterback Johnny Unitas through hours of route-running thousands of repetitions in practice created a dynamic tandem that thought with one mind on game days,” said Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame’s president and CEO. “Together they helped the Colts win consecutive titles in the late 1950s, including the classic 1958 NFL Championship Game that served as a springboard for professional football becoming this country’s most popular sport.
“On top of that, there was no finer gentleman – a person who remained humble and grounded when others sought to thrust stardom upon him.”
We at PFR extend our condolences to Berry’s family and friends.