Patriots Country

Patriots Get Latest Update on A.J. Brown Trade

The New England Patriots will likely need to pay a lefty price to get Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Dec 20, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) carries the ball as Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) defends during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) carries the ball as Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) defends during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

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For the New England Patriots, the quest to trade for star Philadelphia Eagles wideout AJ Brown continues. Earlier in the week, it was reported that the asking price for Brown via trade was a first round pick and a "second round sweetener," similar to last year's Quinnen Williams trade between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.

Has there been any movement on that front?

According to The Athletic, the Eagles are sticking firm in what they hope to get out of a Brown deal. Dianna Russini reporting this week that "the Philadelphia Eagles are holding firm on their steep asking price for A.J. Brown. While the New England Patriots have poked around on it, the Los Angeles Chargers are another team keeping tabs on the situation, per sources."

She also mentioned that the Los Angeles Rams have poked around on trading for him, but have moved on from that.

Josina Anderson also reporting that the Patriots have officially received what the Eagles are hoping to get. Philadelphia reportedly floated a first and second round picks and a player in return

The Patriots' fascination with Brown will certainly drive whether this deal gets done or not. Brown grew up a Patriots fan, and reportedly cried when the team drafted N'Keal Harry over him in the first round of the 2019 Draft. Instead, Brown was selected by the Tennessee Titans, forming a unbreakable bond with his head coach Mike Vrabel.

And now that Vrabel's in New England, it seems all, but done. Right?

Do The Eagles Have Leverage?

It's going to require a first round pick at least from New England's end. The Eagles have Brown under contract for a few more seasons, and are just two years removed from their second Super Bowl (where Brown scored a touchdown in that game). They won't be inclined to move him for nothing.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) reacts against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

On a recent podcast with Patriots legends Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, Brown spoke about his relationship with his former head coach.

"Vrabe is the type of coach that he's going to call on you in the meetings," Brown said on the "Dudes on Dudes" podcast. "He wants to make sure you're staying engaged and he's going to go over the keys to victory of the week. You better know them by the back of your hand. I used to write in my notebook because at the time, I really didn't like Vrabes. I didn't like him, and I admit that he knows that. So, I used to write, 'I hate Vrabes, I hate Vrabes, I hate Vrabes.' I was doing that to pretend like I was taking notes to look like I was engaged. But because he was so hard on me when I was a rookie and I really didn't understand it."

That vibe has completely changed for Brown, as his relationship is so well-established with Vrabel that his potential future head coach spoke highly of him at his media availability at the NFL Combine.

Where there's smoke, there's fire when it comes to the Patriots finally pulling the trigger for Brown. After recently releasing Stefon Diggs, and a clear need for a wide receiver at the top of their depth chart, it shouldn't be shocking to see New England fork over the picks.

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Ethan Hurwitz
ETHAN HURWITZ

Ethan Hurwitz is a writer for Patriots on SI. He works to find out-of-the-box stories that change the way you look at sports. He’s covered the behind-the-scenes discussions behind Ivy League football, how a stuffed animal helped a softball team’s playoff chances and tracked down a fan who caught a historic hockey stick. Ethan graduated from Quinnipiac University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in journalism, and oversaw The Quinnipiac Chronicle’s sports coverage for almost three years.

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