The New England Patriots appear to be turning over every stone in search for a game-changing wide receiver this offseason.
That meant even reportedly calling the Super Bowl champions to see if they would part with their superstar wideout.
It’s unclear if A.J. Brown is even on the trade block, but NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry reported Tuesday that the Patriots called the Philadelphia Eagles to gauge their interest in trading the three-time Pro Bowler.
“I’ve heard the Patriots WILL do whatever they can to get a real ‘WR1’ for Drake Maye and the new coaching staff,” Berry wrote. “I heard they are knocking on all doors, seeing what they can possibly trade for, and one person told me they heard the Patriots called Philly asking if A.J. Brown was available. Shrug emoji on if that’s true, or what Philly’s answer was, but this much seems certain: New England will aggressively try to upgrade its wide receiver room this offseason.”
The Eagles were busy this week, reportedly cutting Darius Slay and James Bradberry to give Saquon Barkley a deserved pay bump — the star running back received a two-year, $41.2 million extension to make him the highest paid running back in the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter
Philadelphia also has a massive financial commitment on the books to Brown, which may be why the franchise could look to move on from him. Brown last April signed a three-year, $96 million contract extension with the Eagles to make him one of the highest paid receivers in the NFL.
It’s easy to see why the Patriots would covet Brown as Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel saw the difference Brown can make up close during their three seasons together with the Tennessee Titans. Brown went to another level after being trading to the Eagles, nearly tallying 1,500-yard receiving seasons in 2022 and 2023.
But Brown was visibly frustrated at times with his lack of targets in Philadelphia’s offense this past season. He caught 67 passes on 97 targets — the second-lowest mark of his career — for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns.
Brown would not only immediately become Maye’s top target, but he also would be New England’s top player. That situation could entice Brown, with the Patriots building their offense around him instead of Brown just being a cog in Philadelphia’s well-oiled offensive machine.
It would be a head-scratching move from the Eagles to trade Brown coming off a championship. But perhaps if the Patriots offer heaven, Earth and another planet, they can pull off the improbable this offseason.
