At this point, it seems like A.J. Brown is all but confirmed to become the newest member of the New England Patriots as soon as June 1. And if the deal does end up happening, that will be great news for a Patriots team in desperate need of a new No. 1 receiver for Drake Maye.
Earlier this offseason, New England signed wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who had spent his four NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers, to a four-year, $68 million deal. Naturally, it would make sense to assume that the Patriots signed him to be their new No. 1 guy, given that he is their highest-paid wide receiver on the roster now.
However, if the team does end up acquiring Brown, that would move Doubs down to the No. 2 spot. And while it might not seem like it immediately, that would be a move that benefits everybody involved, including the Los Angeles native himself.
A.J. Brown's presence would open up opportunities for Romeo Doubs
Brown and Doubs are two completely different types of receivers.
The current Philadelphia Eagle is more of a vertical threat, who uses his physicality to his advantage and can take the top off the defense. As for Doubs, while he's one inch taller than Brown, he is less of a vertical threat and is more of someone who can get separation in the middle on short-to-medium routes.
(Definitely not to the same extent, but think of it as Brown would be to Doubs what Randy Moss was to Wes Welker. You wouldn't expect Doubs or Welker to run the length of the field and catch Hail Marys over Pat Surtain II/Darrelle Revis, but they can excel on offense because they have someone on their side, in this case Brown and Moss, who can do things like that and open up the field for them because of their gravity.)
Recently, Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal spoke about how Brown coming to New England would greatly benefit Doubs (h/t Andrew Gould of NESN).
"Even if AJ Brown is not the 1,500-yard receiver he was the first two years he was in Philadelphia ... that's gonna dramatically improve life for Romeo Doubs, who didn't have that guy in Green Bay," Giardi said.
"If you're a two, and A.J.'s outside you and A.J.'s getting two guys in coverage, you're one-on-one," Giardi added. "And he's really good in one-on-one situations. He was really good against man (coverage) last year."
A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs can both excel in New England
Both Brown and Doubs play the same position, but their roles would be completely different in New England.
They would each be able to complement one another while also being able to make a direct impact, which is exactly what this team needs.
Having a reliable receiving corps has long been a struggle for the Patriots, but as it stands, it seems like they may be turning things around. And for a young team with a young quarterback with an incredibly bright future, this is 100% a step in the right direction.
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