A potential June trade of wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots looms over both teams with their offseason programs beginning Monday and the NFL Draft later this week. NFL executives have said they expect the Patriots to acquire Brown after June 1, when a trade becomes more manageable for the Eagles, The Athletic’s Mike Sando wrote, and those expectations have not changed as the draft nears.
If Brown were traded before June 1, the Eagles would absorb a salary-cap hit of $43.4 million, per Over the Cap. A trade after June 1 would count $16.3 million against the 2026 salary cap because the Eagles could split the cap hit over two seasons. That’s why the post-June 1 date has been relevant throughout the months of trade speculation. NFL rules do not allow trades before June 1 to be designated as post-June 1 moves, as they do with releases, meaning for the Eagles to realize the salary-cap benefit, a deal cannot be consummated until June 2.
The Eagles have remained mum on the topic of Brown’s future since the beginning of the offseason. In the week after the Eagles’ postseason loss, general manager Howie Roseman said, “It’s really hard to find great players,” called Brown “a great player,” and said, “We’re looking to improve in all areas, and you don’t do that by subtracting.” Roseman reiterated that point before the scouting combine. By the league meetings in late March, the company line was that “A.J. Brown is a member of the Eagles,” and Roseman responded to repeated questions with that message.
At no point were the Eagles definitive about Brown returning in 2026, though, and trade discussions shifted from an open secret to a matter of public record last month when Los Angeles general manager Les Snead acknowledged the Rams had trade conversations with the Eagles.
Even with Brown still on the roster this spring, the Eagles have been active in adding wide receivers. They traded two draft picks to Green Bay for Dontayvion Wicks and signed him to a contract extension, and they added veterans Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency. (Moore and A.J. Brown are close friends.) The Eagles are also expected to address the wide receiver depth chart during the draft this week. There’s an internal belief that DeVonta Smith could become an unquestioned top receiver with a greater workload.
The draft is also the next time Eagles officials will make public comments. Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni will meet with reporters after each night of the draft.
For their part, the Patriots haven’t exactly hidden their affinity for Brown.
“It has meant a lot,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said at the scouting combine in February when asked what it’s been like to follow Brown’s career after Vrabel coached Brown with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through 2021. “I’ve watched him grow, I’ve watched him mature. I’m proud of him. I’m proud of the father that he is, and I’m proud of the husband, and that has nothing to do with where he plays and where he played. Those are the things that are important. We reach out and text each other during the things that happen good to each other, and sometimes things don’t go so well for the people that you’re close with, and you text those as well. It’s a two-way street of support and reminders of what got us to where we are here today.”
Even after a magical debut season for Vrabel culminated in a run to the Super Bowl, the Patriots have a few major needs entering the draft, including wide receiver. But if they can essentially plan on a trade for Brown, that would ease the need in a big way, setting the Patriots up to address edge rusher and offensive tackle in the draft.
A move for Brown would also position the Patriots to take advantage of and build on quarterback Drake Maye’s incredible second season, which resulted in him finishing second to Matthew Stafford in MVP voting.
For the Patriots, a trade for Brown would be akin to going all in, pushing their chips to the middle after a shocking Super Bowl run, hoping for similar success after a blockbuster move.
Although Philadelphia’s offseason program opened Monday, this portion of the program is voluntary and is limited to meetings, strength and conditioning work and rehab. The Eagles are not on the field for OTAs until May 26. The first mandatory date is June 9 — after a potential post-June 1 trade. Brown is not expected to attend the beginning of the Eagles’ offseason program, according to the NFL Network. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and Smith are among the veterans confirmed in attendance.
