Nick Sirianni Comments Leave Door Open for Patriots, A.J. Brown Trade

The New England Patriots went out searching for a veteran wide receiver last offseason, ultimately winding up with Stefon Diggs.

Diggs had a solid first season in New England, but almost disappeared once the postseason arrived. Diggs was the veteran in a room that featured a ton of young pieces, including Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams.

The Pats' wide receiver room wasn't the most highly thought of throughout 2025, but they got the job done. While they were able to do enough to help lead the Patriots' offense to one of the top units in 2025, they could look to make the unit even more lethal in 2026.

New England has been linked to numerous wideouts already this offseason, and recently became the second-highest favorite, per DraftKings, to land disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles' wide receiver A.J. Brown via trade.

Will Drake Maye be throwing to A.J. Brown next season? 🤔

A.J. Brown next team odds are officially LIVE 👀 pic.twitter.com/yE6xH2Ztcb
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) February 23, 2026

The Patriots seem primed to add to their wide receiver depth this season, and it appears the Eagles aren't quite confident they can keep Brown in Philly after head coach Nick Sirianni's comments during media availability at the NFL Combine.

"Will A.J. be here next season? I think we're still in a spot, like, I can't guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season," Sirianni said. "I'm thinking I'm going to be the coach next season but you can't guarantee anything past tomorrow."

Eagles Open Door For Patriots, A.J. Brown Trade

Before the Patriots decide whether to add to their wide receiver unit, they must decide on Diggs. Diggs is set to have a $26.5 million cap hit in 2026, but the Pats can either restructure his contract to lower it or release him to save some of the money while taking on lower dead cap. Diggs' age, ongoing off-field legal issues, and whether he fits into the team's long-term plans are all concerns.

If the Pats can get a restructure done or end up releasing Diggs, then the door will be wide open, no pun intended, for them to go big game hunting for another elite skill player on the outside. And Brown would be the perfect fit.

It doesn't seem as if the Eagles are all that confident in Brown staying in Philly, and if they open him up on the trade market, the Patriots should be one of the first callers. Brown has been disgruntled with the Eagles for some time now, and could reunite with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel, with the Tennessee Titans, with whom he has a great relationship.

Potential Trade Package

Eagles' general manager Howie Roseman has also stated that they are open to listening to offers for Brown, which has only fueled the rumors that he will be playing elsewhere in 2026.

Brown's frustration with the franchise, the offense, and the Eagles' current cap situation only adds to the realism that a trade can be found to get Brown to New England, but what would that look like?

Many mock trades and analyst takes align when it comes to what a trade package would look like, but ultimately, it seems it would take at least the Pats' first-round draft pick in 2026 (31st), a third rounder, plus a lower sixth, seventh, or conditional future pick. The return for the Patriots could net them Brown alone, but realistically, it would seem they would want more, so if the Eagles can throw in a future second or third rounder, the pot would only sweeten.

Some believe that offering up a first-round pick is too rich for Brown, so you could also see a package geared around a second and fourth round pick, or even include a player like cornerback Carlton Davis III if the Eagles settle lower due to cap savings urgency.

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