The New England Patriots have long been a speculated potential landing spot for star wide receiver A.J. Brown. This only reached new heights after head coach Mike Vrabel, who worked with Brown for three years in Tennessee, was hired as the team's new head coach. Since then, Vrabel has only spoken very highly of Brown, not even closing the door on the possibility of bringing him to Foxborough when asked about it upon hiring (h/t @NESportsFellow).
At the time, this seemed implausible, especially after the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl a month later. Fast forward to today, and a Brown trade doesn't seem unrealistic. The Eagles have imploded, Brown sounds frustrated, and the Eagles will likely want to make a change before the November 4 trade deadline.
Patriots Must Explore AJ Brown Trade Possibility
If the Eagles decide to trade Brown, few teams are better fits than the Patriots. New England desperately needs more talent in the WR room and is bereft of elite playmakers outside of Stefon Diggs. Vrabel's familiarity with Brown can also help the All-Pro receiver get back into form after a disappointing start to the season in Philadelphia.
Before the season, it may have made little sense for the Patriots to trade for someone like Brown. They were in the midst of a rebuild, and it wasn't clear how good quarterback Drake Maye and the offense were going to be. Giving up significant draft capital to pay Brown a three-year, $96 million contract after you already broke the bank for Diggs was a risky move.
After five weeks of the season, however, the Patriots have proven to be in a win-now mode. Maye is already looking like an elite QB, and the Patriots are 3-2. With their next four games coming against the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons, they could very well be 6-3 or 7-2 when the trade deadline rolls around. At that point, giving up some draft picks for a ceiling-raiser offensive star like Brown will not look like a bad idea at all.
There are a few factors in play here. It depends on how the next few weeks will go for the Eagles, as well as their asking price. The Patriots should still be hesitant to give up multiple early-round picks, but if they can get a discount because the situation in Philadelphia has gotten untenable, the front office must pounce on the opportunity.
Patriots fans can be sure that there will be some phone calls between now and the trade deadline between executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.