Throughout the course of the entire 2026 NFL offseason, the New England Patriots have been steadily connected to a potential trade for Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Lately, the expectation has been that the Patriots will end up working out a deal with the Eagles. Brown is expected to be traded somewhere around June 1.
While New England has been the obvious front-runner to acquire Brown, there is a possibility that other teams could decide to jump into the discussions. So far, no specific team has emerged as a top threat for the Patriots, but nothing should be taken for granted.
Keeping that in mind, Philadelphia insider Jeff Kerr of Sports Illustrated has come up with a few potential threats to watch.
Patriots Land Troubling Outlook in A.J. Brown Trade Discussions
Kerr believes that there are a few teams who could jump in and compete with New England. He thinks that the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens could all make sense for Brown.
Mike Vrabel and the Patriots would be a perfect fit for Brown. He has a previous relationship with Vrabel from their time with the Tennessee Titans. That could help him find joy in football once again after a couple of frustrating years.
At the end of the day, a bidding war would be dangerous for New England. Howie Roseman is a tough negotiator. With extra leverage, the Patriots would face a much harder task of getting something done.
This is just an opinion at this point in time. Kerr isn’t reporting that the three teams actually have interest in Brown. But, they’re teams to watch as a threat to jump in late.
A.J. Brown Could Be the Final Piece for New England
Last season, New England came up just one win short of a championship. Vrabel and company ended up losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
Even though the loss was heartbreaking, the Patriots are not far away from winning it all.
Brown could end up being the final piece of the puzzle for New England. He would also offer rising superstar quarterback Drake Maye the best target he has ever worked with. Adding Brown could help the Patriots’ offense take a major jump.
In 2025 with the Eagles, Brown caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15. Across his entire seven-year NFL career, the 28-year-old wide receiver has played in 105 games and caught 524 passes for 8,029 yards and 56 touchdowns.
Only time will tell whether or not New England can get a deal done with Philadelphia. Brown would be a perfect fit for the Patriots, but there is a chance another team could swoop in and try to steal him away.
Patriots Get Troubling New Outlook on Potential A.J. Brown Trade