The New England Patriots didn’t bring A.J. Brown home to Massachusetts to be just another piece of their offense.
Julian Edelman expects him to become the centerpiece.
With Brown preparing for his first regular-season game in a Patriots uniform, Edelman offered a lofty assessment of what New England’s blockbuster addition could bring to Drake Maye and an offense suddenly loaded with considerably more firepower.
And the former Patriots star reached all the way back to Randy Moss to make his point.
“A.J. Brown, that’s a 1A. A real 1A. They probably haven’t had someone like that since Randy Moss,” Edelman said on NBC Sports Boston’s “Patriots Talk” podcast.
For a franchise that has spent years searching for a true difference-maker at wide receiver, that is no small statement.
But Edelman’s confidence in Brown isn’t based solely on the three-time All-Pro’s talent. He also knows the man responsible for figuring out how to maximize it.
Julian Edelman Predicts ‘Huge Year’ for A.J. Brown
Edelman spent much of his Patriots career playing in Josh McDaniels’ offense, giving him a firsthand understanding of how the longtime New England coordinator builds around his best weapons.
His evidence begins with Moss.
“You look at Randy Moss his first year [with the Patriots], he had 23 touchdowns with Josh. He knows how to get the ball to receivers,” Edelman said. “My first year being featured? I had 105 catches. Josh is a very creative offensive coordinator who knows how to get focal points [of an offense] the ball. I anticipate a huge year [for Brown].”
Brown hardly arrives in Foxborough needing to prove he can produce.
The 29-year-old topped 1,000 receiving yards in six of his first seven NFL seasons and earned three All-Pro selections during his four years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his Eagles tenure with 5,034 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns in 62 games.
What intrigues Edelman is what could happen when that proven ability meets McDaniels’ willingness to move his top targets around.
“I anticipate [McDaniels] putting [Brown] into a whole bunch of different spots,” Edelman said. “A.J. is a smart and versatile player. Josh knows how to work with those guys.”
That versatility could make Brown even more difficult for defenses to account for. Rather than allowing opponents to settle into one matchup, McDaniels can hunt for favorable looks and force defenses to adjust to Brown throughout a game.
Brown has already noticed it himself.
“Josh is incredible, man. He’s making my job a lot easier,” Brown said last week. “He’s creating matchups for me, moving me around. I already shared too much already that I’m gonna get in trouble for. He’s a very detailed coach.”
A.J. Brown Gives Drake Maye a True No. 1 Target
The Patriots’ investment in Brown was about more than upgrading one position.
It was about changing the environment around Maye.
New England’s young quarterback now enters the season with something every developing passer wants: a proven receiver capable of demanding defensive attention before the ball is even snapped.
Brown can win downfield. He can turn contested throws into completions. He can create after the catch. Most importantly, his presence can dictate how a defense chooses to cover the rest of New England’s offense.
McDaniels now gets to decide where to deploy him.
Brown acknowledged that learning the intricacies of the veteran coordinator’s system has come with plenty to digest.
“Just meeting with him, just trying to get on the same page, and seeing it as fast as he sees it,” Brown said. “I think he’s been in this offense for like 25 years, so he has a check for every little thing the defense throws at you, which is a positive. But a lot of information for me to take in.”
There is still a difference between preseason promise and regular-season production. Brown and Maye have yet to show what their partnership will look like when the games count, and the Patriots’ revamped offense still has plenty to prove.
Edelman, though, knows what an elite receiving weapon can look like in this offense. He also knows what McDaniels can do when he has one.
That makes the Moss reference stand out.
Edelman wasn’t declaring Brown the next Randy Moss. He was making a more specific point: In his eyes, New England finally has a legitimate No. 1 receiver again.
And his expectations for what comes next couldn’t be much higher.
“I anticipate a huge year.”
Julian Edelman Has Bold Message About A.J. Brown Before Patriots Debut