They gave up a first-round draft pick to trade for A.J. Brown to keep themselves in the mix as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, so the New England Patriots will welcome a prediction their newest wide receiver is set to win a major prize during his first season with his new team.
Brown “appears motivated to prove his worth as one of the NFL’s premier receivers,” according to NFL.com Analyst Bucky Brooks. The latter views Brown’s mindset, coupled with the three-time Pro Bowler joining “a squad with an MVP-caliber quarterback in Drake Maye who dominated the AFC in 2025,” as a compelling argument for why the former Philadelphia Eagles star will be named Offensive Player of the Year this season.
Claiming the OPOY award will mean Brown has performed like the true No. 1 receiver the Patriots hoped they were getting when they sent two picks to the Eagles for the 28-year-old.
Instantly becoming Maye’s go-to target is the expectation for Brown, but Brooks is setting the bar even higher. High enough for Brown to get near a rare statistical landmark.
A.J. Brown Tipped to Hit Rare Mark
Brooks noted how “With Brown slotted into the WR1 role — and surrounded by a collection of pass catchers with diverse games (possession receiver Romeo Doubs, designated deep threat Kyle Williams, dirty-work specialist Mack Hollins) — the three-time second-team All-Pro could produce a spectacular stat line that pushes him close to the 2,000-yard mark.”
Reaching or even exceeding 2,000 yards would be rarified air for Brown, but it’s not a totally unrealistic target for the eighth-year pro. Brown twice topped the 1400-yard mark for the Eagles in both 2022 and ’23.
His numbers have declined since, and the Patriots must guard against a cliff warning about Brown’s production. Yet, he’s still able to win in traffic, the way Brown did for this contested touchdown catch against the Minnesota Vikings last season.
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The enduring ability of Brown to boss and body defenders in man coverage is the missing link Maye needs to take his game up a level. If Brown can’t help Maye take a leap forward, the Patriots will be at the mercy of receivers with more question marks than proven production.
Patriots Can’t Risk Featuring Other Receivers
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels likes to spread the ball around, but anything less than a Brown-centric passing game would be a risk for Maye and the Patriots this year. A risk because fellow wideouts like $68 million new arrival Doubs faces a “super power” warning.
Second-year burner Williams does possess a super power of sorts, namely, the straight-line speed to stretch the field. The problem is Williams still needs to add bulk to his frame, along with nuance to his route tree.
Perhaps one of DeMario Douglas or Efton Chism III emerges as the prolific slot-specialist McDaniels has traditionally featured. Unfortunately, it’s another unknown about a receiver corps set to be heavily reliant on Brown.
That’s good news for Brooks’ lofty predictions, but it could spell trouble for the Patriots if defenses quickly learn to take away Maye’s lone marquee pass-catcher.
A.J. Brown Predicted to Win Major Prize in First Patriots Season