A.J. Brown: Everything you need to know

The Eagles are trading Brown to the Patriots, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports. Per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, New England is sending a 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick to Philadelphia in exchange for the wideout. Following months of speculation, the two sides have finally reached a deal to send the 28-year-old wideout to New England. Waiting until June 1 always made sense for the Eagles, as doing so allows the team to spread Brown's $43.5 million dead-cap hit over the next two seasons, rather than absorbing it all this year. In anticipation of the move, this offseason Philadelphia bolstered a WR corps (which continues to feature DeVonta Smith) by adding Dontayvion Wicks in a trade, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore via free agency, as well as selecting Makai Lemon 20th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. From the Patriots' perspective, Brown reunites with Mike Vrabel -- who coached him in Tennessee - and gives ascending young QB Drake Maye a legitimate No. 1 option in a wide receiver corps that also includes Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams. Steady weekly volume should be the norm for Brown in his new uniform, which puts the 2019 second-rounder in a position to continue to be a reliable fantasy producer this coming season.

The Eagles' selection of WR Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft provides further indication that the team is preparing to move on from Brown, Tim McManus of ESPN.com and Zach Berman of The Athletic report. McManus notes that Adam Schefter of ESPN previously suggested Brown appears likely to be traded to the Patriots on or after June 1, and the addition of Lemon to a Philadelphia wideout corps that has already brought in Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore this offseason is another sign pointing to such an outcome. Meanwhile, the Patriots opted to bolster their offensive line depth in Round 1 rather than add a high-profile rookie WR by selecting offensive tackle Caleb Lomu 28th overall. For his part, however, Eagles GM Howie Roseman remains reluctant to tip his hand regarding the team's plans for Brown, stating Thursday, "For us, A.J. is a member of the Eagles. ... We don't have any trades that have been made or that are done. And I think for us, we're taking this one day at a time."

The Patriots remain at the clear forefront in terms of trade talks for Brown, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Considering that a potential deal for Brown isn't likely to happen before June 1, Schefter notes that another team could still emerge as a contender to acquire the wideout, but for now the Patriots appear to be the favorites to land the 28-year-old. Added context regarding the chances of New England being Brown's landing spot will arrive in the coming days, via the team's approach to the WR position at the upcoming NFL Draft. Meanwhile, since the end of the 2025 regular season, the Eagles have bolstered their depth at wide receiver by adding Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore.