It seems like the worst-kept secret in the NFL that the Philadelphia Eagles are going to send wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots on or after June 1. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, a deal is far from a guarantee as the two sides are still far apart in trade negotiations.
On Wednesday's episode of "The Insiders," Rapoport reported that, although New England is still the likeliest destination for Brown in a possible trade this offseason, the Patriots and the Eagles are "not particularly close" on completing a deal due to disagreement over first-round draft compensation.
“As far as the actual trade, we’re all waiting for June 1 to happen, so the cap hit is in half for the Philadelphia Eagles and they can trade [Brown],” Rapoport said. “I just don’t know that it’s going to be like ‘snap your fingers and the deal is done,’ because the two sides are where they have been — which is the Eagles wanting a first-round pick in 2027. The Patriots — being the most likely destination, we’ll see if someone else arises — but the Patriots [are] not willing to give up a first-round pick, as of right now.
“That means they’re not particularly close, and there’s a chance this could drag on for the foreseeable future.”
The Patriots are playing a dangerous game with A.J. Brown
The Patriots' and Eagles' standstill makes some sense.
From New England's perspective, it already has a decent receiving corps (especially after the signing of Romeo Doubs), and the option to just re-sign Stefon Diggs, who was fantastic with the team last season, is still there. Trading a first-round pick is risky regardless of who the team is getting in return, and that's no different for Brown, especially given that his discontent in Philadelphia (allegedly) has been well on display for a while now, leaving the team with little leverage.
But from the Eagles' perspective, they clearly don't need this trade to happen as badly as the Patriots do. Brown is a top wide receiver in the league, and he would immediately elevate New England's offense. The thing is, though, that's also true for most of the league. If the Patriots aren't going to give them what they're looking for, it's fair to assume Philadelphia can just get a deal done elsewhere.
The most interesting part of Rapoport's report is that he left the possibility of another team making its way into the Brown sweepstakes open. Teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars have been linked to the 28-year-old, and if reports come out that the Patriots are no longer a realistic destination for him, then it's fair to assume other teams are going to make a bid to acquire him.
A lot can change between now and June 1, but this report isn't exactly promising if you're a Patriots fan. The team might be fine without Brown, but if they want to take it to another level and prove that last year's Super Bowl appearance wasn't a fluke, then they need to make a deal happen.
And it needs to happen as soon as possible.
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