It was a risky trade at the time, and to call it like it is, it's been a disaster to this point (degenerative knee issue everyone knew about, ego concerns, was about to turn 29 years old). But the New England Patriots were right to go all in on A.J. Brown this past offseason, even if they gave up a 2028 first-round pick in the process.
New England has missed on big-time receiver additions in the past (Brandon Aiyuk, DeAndre Hopkins, Chris Godwin, Alec Pierce, Calvin Ridley -- looking back, the Patriots caught a break in most of these cases), and with Drake Maye fresh off an MVP-caliber season, it couldn't afford to miss out on another one.
Surrounding your young quarterback with talent is crucial to their development. Otherwise, you're going to end up with another Mac Jones situation, and nobody wants to go through that... again.
There is still a world where Brown gets healthy, finds his footing, and becomes the player the Patriots were hoping he would be. But even if he doesn't, they were right to take this risk.
A.J. Brown was a dream target for the Patriots, Drake Maye
Stefon Diggs was a lot of fun to watch in New England last season, and it's fair to say the team should have kept him around/brought him back. But while he was mostly solid, he's not a No. 1 receiver anymore. And, given how last season went for Maye and the Patriots, it made sense to look for a big upgrade after their run to the Super Bowl.
Brown made a ton of sense (he still does, to be fair). He's a legit deep threat who can take the top off the defense (which is perfect for Maye, one of the best deep-ball throwers in the NFL), and he has the gravity to open up the field for everybody else on the offense.
He also has history with Mike Vrabel, dating back to their time with the Tennessee Titans, and he made it very clear he grew up a Patriots fan and wanted to make his way to New England. On paper, this was a match made in heaven, and it could have been bad if New England's front office didn't make a trade for him.
There is still hope for A.J. Brown in New England
Brown's start to his Patriots career has been disappointing so far. We're halfway through the season, and he has only played two full games (he left the season opener early due to an ankle sprain and was placed on the injured reserve). Not only has his availability been a problem, but he hasn't looked good even when he has played (nine receptions on 20 targets, 101 yards, and no touchdowns).
However, there is still a lot of football left in the year. The Patriots most likely won't bring him back until he's completely healthy (they probably rushed his return from the ankle sprain, which only made things worse; they're not going to make that mistake again), and he just had his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season last year. He also looked solid in Week 1before sustaining his injury.
The Mississippi native has had a tough start in New England, but the worst should be behind him. He can still be a real asset to the Patriots, and once he makes his return, he should be a great help to Maye and the rest of the offense.
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