Albert Breer’s Notes: How the Patriots Will Use A.J. Brown and Their Receiver Group

After the busiest day of the NFL offseason on Monday, here are your Tuesday notes …

A.J. Brown’s fit on the Patriots

Logistically, the A.J. Brown trade makes all the sense in the world for the Patriots. They are in Drake Maye’s rookie contract window, and are loaded up with a cadre of complementary skill-position talent built in a way that’s begging for a No. 1. And Brown, if he’s still Brown, will allow the other guys to fall nicely into roles they’re suited for.

On the flip side, the Patriots’ offense, as it’s been run for most of the past quarter century, hasn’t had a lot of receivers like Brown. More often, the scheme, as called and run by Charlie Weis, Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien, has featured middle-of-the-field weapons like Troy Brown, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Even the one premier outside receiver they had, Randy Moss, was more of a “Z” (flanker) than an “X” (split end).

But dig enough into McDaniels’s background, and you’ll find a couple of really good examples in Brandon Marshall with the Broncos and Davante Adams with the Raiders. In both cases, McDaniels had no problem finding a way to feature the bigger, perimeter guy.

Marshall was targeted 154 times in 2009, and finished his lone season with McDaniels with 101 catches for 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns. Adams, meanwhile, was targeted a staggering 180 times in 2022, and ended up with 100 catches for 1,516 yards and 14 scores. In both cases, McDaniels featured them on the outside, but also moved them around to generate mismatches on the inside with them, through different formations and motions.

I’d expect to see more of them with Brown than Brown may be used to. Which should be good for his productivity over the long haul of the season.

Eagles’ and Patriots’ complementary receivers

Interestingly enough, both teams in the deal will be looking to get more from an ex-Packer departing Green Bay’s crowded receiver room, which was stocked with more talent, perhaps, than opportunity for the guys working within it.

In March, the Patriots did a three-year, $51 million deal with Romeo Doubs, who flashed in the playoffs but never had a 700-yard season as a Packer. A month later, Philly flipped fifth- and seventh-round picks to Green Bay for Dontayvion Wicks, and tacked a year on to his deal, hoping they can tap into the potential that was always there, but never fully realized in Green Bay. He never even got to 600 yards in a season.

Doubs will be a complement to the Eagles’ former No. 1 in New England. Wicks will be a complement to their new No. 1, DeVonta Smith, as well as first-round pick Makai Lemon.

Rams’ process of trading for stars

One thing that I think is important to note on the Rams’ move for Myles Garrett: It’s been a process for them in getting to this point, just in who they target and flip picks for.

They learned lessons over the years, from investing deeply in really good players at nonpremium positions (LB Alec Ogletree is a good example from the past) and in trading for really good but not necessarily great players (WR Sammy Watkins, CB Marcus Peters, WR Brandin Cooks). The lessons from all that history, I believe, have taken them to a place where their big swings are measured and really only taken on the biggest of targets.

You can see it now in where their first-round picks from 2020, ’21, ’22, ’23, ’24, ’26 and ’27 have gone, into trades for Jalen Ramsey, Matthew Stafford and now Trent McDuffie and Garrett, all of whom have been first-team All-Pro players.

Jared Verse’s value

Don’t discount Jared Verse’s place in the deal.

Verse isn’t Garrett. But he’s a very, very, very good player, who’s already made two Pro Bowls, and whom the Rams regarded as a latter-day Terrell Suggs. They hated letting him go and fought it all the way to the very end.

The Rams had to include Verse to make the deal for Garrett, but losing Verse did sting the Rams.

And that should be part of the context when you consider the Browns’ return.

Brendan Sorsby

Brendan Sorsby now plays the waiting game, with retired judge Ken Curry set to make the decision in the coming days on whether the Texas Tech QB gets an injunction, which would allow him to play this fall. Jeffrey Kessler, the famed sports-labor lawyer who is representing Sorsby, reportedly argued Monday that the NCAA ignored its own rules by failing to consider the quarterback’s well-being, as it relates to his mental health and gambling addiction.

Kessler also asked for a ruling by June 15. The deadline for Sorsby to apply for entry into the supplemental draft is June 22.

If Sorsby gets the injunction, he’ll return to play at Tech.

If not, this will become a big NFL story from now until the late-July draft.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. returning to the Giants is a fun story. But, as we’ve detailed, he’s 33, and headed into what would be his 13th season, had he not sat out two seasons. His last season of even 600 yards was in 2019, with the Browns. The last time he had 20 receiving yards in a game was in late ’23.

To me, taking a flyer on Beckham, and bringing JuJu Smith-Schuster in, is insurance against Malik Nabers’s troublesome knee situation, as the Giants’ star battles back from ACL surgery.

And having those vets around should help second-round pick Malachi Fields as well.

Larry Fitzgerald Sr.

Finally, RIP Larry Fitzgerald Sr., who was a gentleman to me when I was young as a sportswriter, and he was still working in the Minneapolis market as a reporter, even as his son became a superstar. It’s really too bad he won’t get to see Larry Jr. go into Canton this summer. Here’s hoping Larry Jr. and the family find some peace in his memory.

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