Eagles Dare Patriots With ‘Unserious’ AJ Brown Asking Price

Rumors have been swirling endlessly around Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown and the New England Patriots.

It has been known for quite some time that Brown grew up a Patriots fan. New England head coach Mike Vrabel was Brown's coach with the Tennessee Titans. Since he took over as the Patriots' head coach ahead of the 2025 season, the chatter has been consistent and has been taken up a notch this offseason.

Brown's future has been the most talked-about subject in football throughout combine week. The rumors have gotten loud, although nothing is imminent. Part of the reason why that is the case is that the Patriots reportedly view the current asking price as "unserious," according to Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald.

The Patriots want AJ Brown

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) during a timeout in the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

"The Patriots have explored trade talks involving Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown, but feel the current asking price is unserious, according to one source," Callahan and Kyed wrote. "Several league sources believe Brown could nonetheless be dealt, and the return could be a step above what the Seahawks received when they traded D.K. Metcalf and a sixth-round pick to Pittsburgh last year for a second-rounder at 52nd overall and a seventh-round pick. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said this week that the team would be willing to trade their first-round pick in the right situation.

"Acquiring Brown would address the Patriots’ chief offensive objective this offseason: adding more firepower. Brown is coming off of a 1,000-yard season with 78 catches and seven touchdowns. He would qualify as the No. 1 receiver the team has long been seeking, having topped 1,000 yards every year of his career, excluding an injury-shortened 2021 campaign. ... He’s due a $29 million option on Sept. 1 and another $19.4 million option in 2027, plus minimal $1.3 million salaries in each of the next two seasons."

The Eagles don't need to trade Brown and have said multiple times that they would prefer not to move on from great players. It's important to note that Howie Roseman specifically said the chances of a deal are "not very high."

"So, we're looking to build on that and go forward," Roseman said. "So that's adding on. At the same time, there's nobody, our job's as GMs, we've got to listen on anyone. That doesn't have anything to do with AJ. If anyone calls me and says 'Hey I want to talk to you about a player.' For me to say unequivocally 'I'm not taking your call,' that doesn't make sense because I don't know what they're going to say on the other end. Now, the chances that I'm doing that with a great player, they're not very high."

With an "unserious" asking price, the Eagles are confirming this idea even further. In this scenario, it's either the Eagles keep Brown or a team, like New England, meets a ridiculous asking price for a superstar-level talent. In both scenarios, the Eagles win.

Why would the Eagles not have an "unserious" asking price? Brown is among the top overall receivers in the game and is under contract for the foreseeable future. The Eagles don't need to move him at all and don't need to do any team any favors with a lower asking price. Especially one so publicly linked to the playmaker.

Either the Patriots, or another team, meet a ridiculous asing price, or Brown stays. Either way, Philadelpha is in the driver's seat.