The calendar has officially flipped to June, and the Eagles have officially traded A.J. Brown to the Patriots.
After Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni told reporters in late February that he “can’t guarantee” Brown will be with the organization this coming season, speculation about where the three-time Pro Bowler could play next quickly intensified. The Patriots have long been considered the most obvious landing spot—a move that would reunite Brown with head coach Mike Vrabel, whom he played under with the Titans from 2019 to ’21. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Monday that an Eagles-Patriots trade falling through at this point would be “a pretty big upset.” The two sides have since agreed to a deal that sends Brown to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a ’27 fifth-round pick.
Among the reasons why a deal has been delayed until now is the way Brown’s contract affects the Eagles’ salary cap. If Philadelphia had traded him before June 1, it would have carried his entire $43 million dead-cap charge in 2026. Waiting until 4:00 p.m. on June 1, however, allows them to split it, with $16.4 million accelerating onto 2026 and the remaining $27.1 million being pushed to ’27.
With that, here’s a look at all the latest surrounding the trade of Brown to the Patriots.