The saga for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is now rolling on post the NFL Draft. As was the case before the draft, it looks like the New England Patriots are the favorites to land Brown.
No deal is in place yet, and the Eagles are led by Howie Roseman at GM, who is generally seen as one of the best negotiators in the NFL. He doesn’t want that to change, as NFL insider Albert Breer recently explained on Between the Tackles.
“I don’t think Howie Roseman’s gonna do a deal where he doesn’t come out looking like the winner… I know Howie has been creative… It wouldn’t be surprising to me if there were conditions on the deal… The other creative thing they can do is push some of the picks into the future… I know some of the previous trade talks on this were involving, not 2027 first-round pick, but a 2028 first-round pick. Howie’s shown a willingness to do that too,” Breer said.
“I think [being able to trade for picks two years away] is one of the advantages that somebody like Howie has because has job security. There are a lot of guys who aren’t as willing to because it might be somebody else making that pick by the time we get there.”
One way Roseman might be able to raise the price on the Patriots is if he can get other suitors involved. The Kansas City Chiefs, who have salary cap concerns, and the Los Angeles Rams have both recently been floated. That way, there could become a bidding war. Without that, though, it’s harder for the Eagles and Roseman to negotiate from a place of strength.
There is Some Debate as to What A.J. Brown Will Cost the New England Patriots
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown
It’s not a surprise that Howie Roseman is going to want to maximize value for A.J. Brown. It also shouldn’t be a surprise that Patriots EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf will want to spend as little as possible and get the best value for the star wide receiver. So, what will Brown cost? There’s some debate about it.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter went on The Pat McAfee Show before the NFL Draft. There, he figured it would be a first-round package.
“My guess is (the trade) will involve a future (first-round pick) at some point in time,” Schefter said. “I don’t know that it’ll be 2027 or 2028. The two sides still have to figure that out and see where they wind up. But I think the Eagles had been looking for a first-round pick, at least, for A.J. Brown. … So, my guess is that trade will include a first-round pick in the end when the two sides wind up agreeing to whatever deal they come up with.”
Other experts disagree. Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston suggested that the cost is going to be more of a second-round package. He said, “There is no shot that the Patriots should be willing to give up their first-rounder next year because you have no idea where that thing’s going to be.”
Then, Rueben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia agreed. Considering a decrease in production and his age, it’s more likely that his value is that of a second-round package.
Howie Roseman Recently Shared an A.J. Brown Update
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman
Shortly after Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles will “likely” trade A.J. Brown to the Patriots after June 1st, Howie Roseman addressed the mounting rumors. However, those comments weren’t necessarily what New England fans wanted to hear, reminding the world that Brown is still an Eagle.
“A.J. is a member of the Eagles,” Roseman said. “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. We’re going to look to improve the team tomorrow, and we’ll continue to address anything that we have to with our roster, not only through this draft weekend, but we’ll continue to look for ways to improve the team throughout the offseason, and as we get into training camp.”
At the same time, based on the Eagles trading up in the first round of the NFL Draft to take a wide receiver, it’s safe to say that Roseman has concerns at the position. Those are concerns he may not have if Brown was definitely in Philadelphia’s future.
Patriots Get New A.J. Brown Negotiations Update from NFL Insider Albert Breer