The offseason blockbuster trade to send AJ Brown to the New England Patriots is aging well for the Philadelphia Eagles.
While the Eagles surely have nothing to celebrate in 2026 so far, at least they don’t have to think about the what-ifs when it comes to trading away AJ Brown.
Over in New England, the Patriots are having just as much trouble keeping Brown on the field as the Eagles are having keeping their wideouts in the mix.
The Latest On AJ Brown
The Patriots lost AJ Brown to an ankle injury just a few quarters into his debut with the team.
After catching four passes for 26 yards, Brown was ruled out for the following five weeks. In Week 6, the Patriots finally got Brown back in the mix.
The star wide receiver was targeted 10 times. However, he caught just three of those passes for only 27 yards in a 26-19 win for the Patriots.
Brown managed to play in the Patriots’ Week 7 loss against the Chicago Bears. He caught three passes for 48 yards. Now, the veteran wide receiver is facing another potential absence–this time due to a knee-related setback–something that bothered Brown throughout his final stages with the Eagles.
“A return may not be there on Sunday. AJ Brown’s status for the game on Sunday is very much in the air,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport said on Friday.
“It’s not about the ankle injury that he suffered a couple of weeks ago, that he came back from after just four weeks, despite the fact it was really a six-week injury. This is about a knee that has bothered him off and on for the last several years. My understanding is the knee issue flared up early in the week.”
The Patriots didn’t have Brown on the practice field on Thursday, and he was once again not seen on Friday. Typically, that’s a sign that a player won’t get the nod to go, leaving Brown’s status for Patriots-Dolphins up in the air.
A Reminder About The Eagles
So far, the decision to move Brown looks like a win for the Eagles. After he turned in his fourth-straight 1,000-yard season with the Eagles, Brown has caught just nine passes for 101 yards through October for the Patriots. Old concerns remain relevant. The Eagles got a future first-round pick for the All-Pro.
Even if the Eagles had held onto Brown for another year, he would’ve just joined a crowded offensive injury report. Currently, the Eagles are missing DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Others receiving weapons like Dallas Goedert, Hollywood Brown, and Eli Stowers have missed time throughout the year as well.
