One Lesson the Jets Can Learn from A.J. Brown Trade

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

No receiver stays happy forever.

If there's one thing NFL history teaches fans around the league, it's that very fact.

Another fact? It doesn't take much for an organization to be willing to move an elite wide receiver to create space for other talents along the roster. Jerry Rice didn't finish his prime playing career in San Francisco. Randy Moss didn't finish his prime in Minnesota.

Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, Tim Brown, throw any name you want since the start of NFL free agency, and history shows that the elite players in the game are usually the ones moved.

It's a lesson that the Philadelphia Eagles are re-learning now with their star. And it's also something the Jets should keep an eye on as well.

Eagles officially move on from AJ Brown, trade him to Patriots

Few receivers over the last few years have been as dominant as AJ Brown has been with the Eagles. Two Super Bowl appearances, multiple Pro Bowl nominations, and a couple of All-Pro nods to boot have put Brown on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory.

One that the receiver seemingly wants to complete with a more pass-happy offense.

Philadelphia officially traded Brown to the New England Patriots on Monday afternoon after 4 p.m. ET. The Patriots gave up a 2028 first-round and a 2027 fifth-round selection to the Eagles in exchange for Brown's services.

This move clears up a lot of future cash for the Eagles' roster, keeping them in a contending mindset over the next few years.

Meanwhile, Brown has been disgruntled for years now, and it finally came to a head during the 2025 season, to the point where it felt like the team couldn't handle it anymore.

The time has come for Brown to be like the several other elite receivers in the sport who found new homes after an elite run. And with the Patriots, his childhood team, giving up a first-round pick, it's a win-win for both sides.

This trade also has a domino effect across the NFC and AFC East. But while some may think the Jets would be in worse shape following a Brown trade to New England, that may not actually be the case.

How can the Jets benefit

On paper, the Jets don't have anyone who can cover Brown twice in a single season. With Drake Maye throwing him the football, it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Ole Miss product will be successful in Foxborough.

But there is more than one way the Jets can benefit from a potential Brown trade.

Since the Patriots are giving up a first-round pick, the team is casting large expectations on the 2027 and 2028 seasons. They must win a Super Bowl during that time frame; otherwise, the trade would be considered a mistake.

Brown also has a lingering knee problem - something that reportedly nixxed a deal with the Los Angeles Rams earlier this offseason. Should Brown be unable to play at all, it will hurt the Patriots' long-term future and help the Jets.

There's another way too.

Another reason Brown likely wants to play for New England, other than the fact that Mike Vrabel is still the head coach there and it is the team he grew up rooting for, is that Maye is the starting quarterback. That's a lesson that the Jets cannot take lightly.

The Jets already have an elite receiver in Garrett Wilson. While the former first-round pick has three seasons with over 1,000 yards, he's also had to play with over 10 different starting quarterbacks through the first four years of his career.

Maybe playing with Geno Smith will be different. Wilson has seemingly liked working with the veteran quarterback this offseason. But if things do not eventually change at signal-caller from a long-term perspective, it's not exactly hard to envision a scenario where the Ohio State product pulls something similar to Brown.

And leaves the Jets in a spot that the Eagles are.

Nonetheless, if the team can find a long-term answer at quarterback, whether that is in the 2027 draft or with someone currently on the roster (Smith or Klubnik), it changes how the organization is perceived around the league. Instead of having to beg top players to come to the fold, great players will flock to them once that position is solved.

And if history has shown anything, it's that top receivers are always going to be available.

Jaylen Waddle and AJ Brown have been moved this offseason.

Next year it could be someone else. If the Jets can find their future quarterback, they might just be able to make out like bandits.