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Patriots Teammates 'More Than Excited' About Adding A.J. Brown

The wide receiver has already made a big impression on several New England Patriots players.
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams (18) covers wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) during the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams (18) covers wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) during the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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FOXBORO --- AJ Brown hasn't been in town long, and he's already making a big first impression on his New England Patriots teammates. From the offensive huddle to the locker room, the former All-Pro has been making his early imprint on this year's Patriots team.

He's been in the league a long time, and for some of the younger players, they've been impressed with the early returns.

"He's been able to do some incredible things in this league, so we're more than excited to have him," offensive tackle Will Campbell said following today's open OTA practice.

Brown didn't get that much playing time with the Patriots during the practice, which lasted roughly 90 minutes and wasn't padded. The former Philadelphia Eagles star played just four snaps during 11-on-11 drills, catching one pass.

AJ Brown Already Impressing Teammates

He didn't factor in much in the first practice of June, but the goal is for him to be a much bigger factor come meaningful football in September.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) arrives at the practice field for the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"I'm glad, everyone's glad, to have him here," running back TreVeyon Henderson said. "You know, that's a huge pickup for this offense and for the team. ... That's a big receiver. He's really talented, man.

I really love his game. I really respect the way that he carried himself off the field. But yeah, I'm really excited to have him here."

"He's Proven Himself Time And Time Again"

The Patriots went out and swung for the fences bringing in Brown. They gave up a fifth round pick next season and a first round pick the year after that to acquire the wideout, ushering in what feels like a "win now" mode in New England.

Do the Patriots feel that way? Is Brown the final piece of the Super Bowl puzzle?

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) makes a catch during the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Henderson said with a smile. "I'll let the coaches decide how many more puzzles we need, and things like that, but I know he's gonna help out this offense a lot. ... He's proven himself time and time again."

It's not just offensive players that Brown has made a mark on already. Defensive tackle Cory Durden, who took to social media after the trade became public to praise the move, said that he's excited to bring Brown in.

"(I'm) very excited, obviously. He's a big-time playmaker," Durden said. "It just kind of shows us how serious our coaches are about winning. ... I think that's the same expectation this year."

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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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