Eagles trade A.J. Brown to Patriots for draft capital
The deal sends the star wideout to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round selection, finalising a move anticipated across the league all offseason.
The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to trade wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, receiving a first-round draft pick in 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2027 in return. The transaction, confirmed on Monday, reunites Brown with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, with whom he previously played for the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2021. The fifth-round selection will be the better of New England’s picks in that round of next year’s draft.
Brown, who turns 29 on June 30, joins a Patriots receiving group that includes free agent signing Romeo Doubs, aiming to provide quarterback Drake Maye with a primary target. The move reflects New England’s aggressive restructuring of its offence following a loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. The Patriots released leading receiver Stefon Diggs in March after one season, where he recorded 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns.
The Eagles had anticipated this departure throughout the offseason, having already traded up in the 2025 draft to select USC receiver Makai Lemon. They also acquired Green Bay Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks and signed Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore as free agents. By delaying the trade until June 1, the Eagles can split Brown’s $40 million salary cap charge between the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Brown’s contract with the Patriots runs through the 2029 season and averages $32 million per season, ranking as the seventh-highest among NFL receivers. Since entering the league as a second-round selection of the Titans, he has accumulated 8,029 receiving yards and 56 touchdown catches. He is one of only two players in the NFL, alongside Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, to record at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdowns in each of the past four seasons.
New England was one of Brown’s preferred destinations, partly due to his enduring relationship with Vrabel, which extends beyond football. Brown joins a depth chart that also features Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams, and slot receiver Efton Chism III. The Patriots will be the first team in NFL history to begin the season with four consecutive games against previous-season playoff teams.
