Eagles Trading A.J. Brown To Patriots Might Already Be A Done Deal

The Eagles and Patriots have discussed Brown for months and the trade may finally be done

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

June 1 can't come soon enough for the Philadelphia Eagles.

That's the day the Eagles can trade A.J. Brown and spread the massive dead cap hit, giving multiple teams the opportunity to bid on the four-time All-Pro wide receiver's availability.

There may already be a winner in the sweepstakes, and it's a familiar buyer.

The New England Patriots are the team that Brown is expected to be traded to, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. This is the worst kept secret in the NFL, as Brown has been linked to New England for months.

"As for where he’s going, it always made sense for the Eagles to wait to 'agree to terms' until the last minute because things can change elsewhere (and already have with the (Rashee) Rice situation in Kansas City)," Breer wrote this week. "But the Chiefs, Chargers, Bills and Rams all had their shot at this already, and I think the final result will be what everyone’s treating as a fait accompli, and that’s Brown reuniting with Mike Vrabel in New England."

The Patriots are one of the teams Brown is interested in, along with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City could still get involved with the Rashee Rice incident, but New England appeared to be the front runner since Day 1.

New England deserves credit for being patient with Philadelphia and waiting until June 1, as the Patriots didn't have to give the Eagles the benefit of the doubt here. This is a potential reward for the Patriots being patient for getting the player they want, but what about what the Eagles could receive in return?

What do the Eagles want?

A first-round pick is the goal for the Eagles in a potential deal, preferably in 2027. That draft class is supposed to be stacked with first-round talent, which is where the Eagles could have a huge advantage with two first-round picks.

What if the Patriots were a product of their schedule last year, which resulted in a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance? If New England regresses, the Patriots could go 10-7 or 1--6 and bow out early in the playoffs.

That first-round pick the Eagles received could be between 19 and 22, which is an impressive coup for Brown. This is why the 2027 first-round pick is vital for the Eagles, and not one in 2028.

The 2028 first-round pick is the likely prize, and the Patriots could have the same fate two seasons from now. There's a better chance this could happen this season, and landing a premium player in a better draft class.

Remember how the Eagles landed Brown four years ago? They had two first-round picks heading into draft night in 2022, using one of them (No. 18) in order to acquire Brown. Perhaps the Eagles use one of those picks to trade up for a premium player, or land a proven premium player for their roster.

This is why the 2027 first-round pick is so valuable. Having two first-round picks in 2028 is nice, but getting the first-round pick in 2027 with a second or third-round pick in 2028 is the better deal for Brown -- at least from Eagles-colored glasses.

What the Eagles receive for Brown is still up in the air, but the team he's going to appears to be set.

Let's see what the Patriots give up for Brown, assuming he's going there sometime next month.