The Philadelphia Eagles can finally close the chapter on A.J. Brown's time with the team. They were able to move him to the New England Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Considering how Brown made it clear his time with the Eagles was over, general manager Howie Roseman made sure Philadelphia landed a first-round pick. And the latest report shows they got the Patriots to up their offer.
Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer was a guest on "The Next Pats Podcast" hosted by NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry. During his appearance, McLane revealed that the Pats viewed Brown as a third-round pick around the combine.
"At the time of the combine, I was told by someone kind of close to the Patriots that they were seeing A.J. Brown as only worth a third-rounder. So that also tells you how far that they came. Now, I think that was just a negotiating ploy and posturing as well... So, is a 2028 first-rounder along with a fifth in 2027 meeting somewhere in the middle? Possibly. I do think the fact that you've heard, 'This is a good deal for the Eagles, this is a good deal for the Patriots,' that it's essentially kind of a fair deal."
And even though McLane adds this may have been a negotiating tactic, Roseman getting the Pats to move up to a first-rounder was a masterclass.
Eagles still got a 1st rounder for A.J. Brown although Pats viewed him a 3rd rounder
This offseason alone, the Buffalo Bills moved a 2026 second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for DJ Moore. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos moved three picks, including a first-rounder, to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle.
So with these two other receivers going for nothing lower than a second-round pick, there was no way that Roseman was letting go of Brown for anything less than a first-rounder. Standing firm on the asking price allowed things to progress in a manner that benefited Philadelphia in the long run.
Especially since the Eagles didn't get any financial relief from moving on from Brown. With the trade happening post June 1, Philadelphia can split Brown's $49 million dead cap hit for the next two campaigns, while saving $1.5 million in 2026.
From their point of view, his time has ran it's course, and they are better off with him off the roster. But at the same time, Brown was a productive receiver with the Birds. Over four seasons, he had 339 catches for 5,034 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns, with four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.
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Replacing him will be a group effort as DeVonta Smith steps into the WR1 role with Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown, and Dontayvion Wicks filling in as contributors. Nonetheless, it was a good deal for both sides, but it's great that the Eagles didn't move off their asking price.
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