Eagles Lose Non-AJ Brown Star to Patriots in ESPN Prediction

The Philadelphia Eagles keep being connected to the New England Patriots.

Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Detail view of a New England Patriots helmet prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles have been linked to the New England Patriots multiple times throughout combine week and none of the noise has been positive.

First and foremost, AJ Brown remains in trade rumors and there's much more smoke around New England than Eagles fans would like. That's not all, though. On Friday, ESPN's Aaron Schatz shared a column predicting landing spots for the top free agents out there. Pending Eagles free agent Jaelan Phillips was linked to New England.

"New England Patriots," Schatz wrote. "Edge Jaelan Phillips (PHI). The Patriots' two biggest needs this offseason are edge rusher and offensive line. On the O-line, they will likely depend on the development of young players like Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. But the edge is a good place to bring in a veteran.

"Phillips had two sacks and 27 pressures after he was traded to the Eagles from Miami at midseason. His 12.4 percent pass rush win rate ranked 24th among qualifying edge rushers. Phillips could replace free agent K'Lavon Chaisson and/or make a good partner for Harold Landry III."

The Eagles edge rusher is getting Patriots buzz

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) celebrates after a sack against the San Francisco 49ers with linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

That's not all, though. Schatz predicted that Phillips will join the Patriots, which is noteworthy in itself. But MassLive.com's Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian reported that Phillips is someone to watch for New England and that the Patriots wanted him before the trade deadline.

"Although the free agent class isn’t considered stacked with top talent, the Patriots like a handful of veteran pass rushers," Daniels and Guregian wrote. "Two names to watch are Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson. We’re told there are quite a few admirers inside Gillette Stadium of both players.

"Phillips was a player the Patriots had interest in during the NFL trade deadline before Miami traded him to Philadelphia. The 26-year-old edge rusher had five sacks last season and is viewed as a fit in Vrabel’s system. The big question, however, is how much the Patriots are willing to spend."

The Eagles and Patriots connection is strong so far this offseason, but not in a good way. In a perfect world, Phillips will re-sign and Brown will stick around. If both end up on the Patriots, wouldn't that sting?