A.J. Brown will remain a member of the Eagles through not less than June 1. A trade after that upcoming date remains to be expected, although an agreement between Philadelphia and Brown’s long-presumed next team doesn’t seem like in place.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) the Patriots are still considered the likeliest team to swing a trade on this case. Negotiations have taken place throughout the offseason on a swap which might see Brown reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. To no surprise, though, the matter of the value in a trade remains to be unresolved.
The Patriots haven’t previously been willing to part with a first-round pick to amass Brown. Rapoport notes Philadelphia continues to hunt a Day 1 selection within the 2027 draft, one projected to be much stronger than the category from last month’s event. Recent England’s preference, meanwhile, stays a cheaper price to finalize the trade. It would be interesting to see the Patriots’ efforts to avoid outbidding themselves ultimately lead to an agreement relatively soon.
The Rams have loomed as a powerful Brown suitor at times this spring. Rapoport adds Los Angeles was the three-time Pro Bowler’s preferred destination, but he is not going to be heading there. Despite the actual fact previous talks between the Eagles and Rams went further than they did with the Patriots, Rapoport confirms Los Angeles isn’t any longer within the running for Brown. Once the Rams elected to retain Davante Adams, the expectation emerged that he would spend a second season with the team as a complement to Puka Nacua.
Each Nacua and Adams are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That led many to attach Los Angeles to wideout Makai Lemon ahead of the primary round of the draft, however the Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson thirteenth overall as an alternative. The Rams’ decision on that front helped allow the Eagles to trade as much as No. 20 and draft Lemon, their latest move to usher in a brand new receiver and help soften the impact of the long-anticipated Brown departure.
The Patriots currently have roughly $35.5MM in cap space. Absorbing the rest of Brown’s contract – which runs through 2029 – needs to be feasible because of this. The opportunity of trade talks picking up between Philadelphia and Recent England will make for an intriguing storyline with the window of opportunity for a swap opening soon.