For the past few months, the trade of wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots has felt like a foregone conclusion. All reports indicated that the trade would be processed after June 1.
However, as June 1 approaches, the Philadelphia Eagles and Patriots still remain far apart in trade negotiations, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“The Patriots are not willing to give up a first-round pick as of right now; that means they’re not particularly close, and that means there’s a chance this could drag on for the foreseeable future,” said Rapoport.
Could Brown still end up landing in New England? Absolutely. However, with the context of this new report, it seems that if a team swoops in and offers Philadelphia a first-round pick, they can snatch Brown away from the Patriots.
Then, there is always the possibility that if Howie Roseman doesn’t receive an offer he likes, the team can hold onto Brown for another year. Why sell low on a player of his caliber? He could still provide tremendous value to the Eagles this season and perhaps further boost his trade stock.
Of course, that’s the best-case scenario for the New York Jets, who play the Patriots twice a year as division rivals. After releasing Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason, the team lacks a high-end WR1, with Romeo Doubs currently slotted in that role.
In four NFL seasons, Doubs has yet to surpass 725 receiving yards. He’s not exactly the type of guy you want to trot out as your WR1 to open the season if you’re the Patriots. Last season, Drake Maye benefited drastically from having a player like Diggs, who is highly consistent and always seems to be open.
Obviously, Brown wouldn’t just replace Diggs; he’d likely be an upgrade. At least for now, though, the Patriots landing Brown appears far from inevitable, and that is welcome news for a Jets team that certainly doesn’t need the Patriots adding another star player.
