Remember how, for months, everyone said the Philadelphia Eagles would regret trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots? That noise isn't being heard as much anymore.
In June, the Patriots traded for Brown after four years with the Eagles. Philly got a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick as part of the deal.
This was a trade that was universially praised on the Patriots'universally side and questioned on the Eagles ' side, despite everyone knowing that something had to happen in Philly. Now Eagles general manager Howie Roseman looks like he might have been onto something by trading away the three-time Pro Bowler.
A.J. Brown has not impressed in first three games with the Patriots
Right from the first game of the season, Brown showed disastrous results with the Patriots. He hurt his ankle in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. That high ankle sprain got him sent to the IR and cost him four games.
In his Week 6 return against the New York Jets, he caught only three of his 10 targets and recorded a career-high three drops in the win. Most people gave him a pass because he was returning from injury.
In Week 7 against the Chicago Bears, he played better, but he still didn't dominate as he should. He caught only three of six targets for 48 yards, with his longest catch coming from 18 yards. Keep in mind he faced two cornerbacks, Tyrique Stevenson and Jaylon Johnson, who have allowed passer ratings of at least 110, and they still shut him down pretty well.
For the season, Brown has caught nine receptions for 101 yards in three games. That's it.
Eagles dodged a bullet with A.J. Brown so far in the 2026 season
The more Brown plays for the Patriots, the clearer it becomes that the Eagles are winning this trade, and not by much. Philly found Brown's replacement in the offseason, even before they traded him away, when they traded for Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers.
This season, Wicks has proven to be a more productive wide receiver than Brown. In six games, Wicks has caught 19 passes for 284 yards and one touchdown.
Comparing the two, Wicks averages 47.3 yards per game. Brown is averaging 33.6 yards per game, according to The Score's Brenden Deeg.
Receiving yards per game this season:
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) October 23, 2026
Dontayvion Wicks: 47.3
A.J. Brown: 33.6
Everyone tried to pin Brown's 2025 struggles on Jalen Hurts, saying he wasn't giving him good passes. The reality is that Brown has been regressing, and that regression is showing up big time in his first three games with the Patriots.
Last year, Brown got lazy on routes, didn't run at full speed, and couldn't get separation from cornerbacks. That was clear in the NFC Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers, when he dropped two passes and didn't run 100% on one route, prompting Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni to yell in Brown's face.
New England is seeing the same thing from Brown this time around. In the Bears game, he faced rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad, and the rookie beat him one-on-one downfield, even though everyone knew Brown would have won that battle two years ago.
Read more: Sean Mannion appears to be delusional about Eagles' offense through 6 games
Sure, the Eagles' 2026 season has been a nightmare, but at least their receivers are productive: Wicks is performing, DeVonta Smith is doing his thing, and Darius Cooper has scored four touchdowns. Brown can't do anything right for the Patriots, and the two draft picks the Eagles got look like they'll help them out a lot in the future.
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