Eagles trade receiver A.J. Brown to
the Patriots, setting up reunion with coach Mike Vrabel
[June 02, 2026]
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — A.J. Brown is leaving a frustrating
experience in Philadelphia for a reunion in New England with his
first NFL coach.
The Eagles traded the star receiver to the Patriots on Monday,
putting a cap on the long-rumored deal.
The Eagles said they will receive a first-round pick in 2028 and a
fifth-round pick in 2027 for the three-time Pro Bowler.
The trade comes after a frustrating 2025 season for Brown in
Philadelphia, in which he had grown dispirited with an Eagles
offense that played uninspired football at times while the team
failed to defend its Super Bowl title.
Still, he posted a message on Instagram shortly after the trade
became official Monday of him in an Eagles jersey with his hands
making the “heart” symbol. He also posted a few other photos of
himself as a kid wearing a Tom Brady Patriots jersey.
Brown played under Vrabel for three seasons after being drafted by
the Tennessee Titans in 2019.
Brown, 28, quickly rose to the top receiving option in Philadelphia
after being traded by Tennessee to the Eagles in 2022.
He had back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons his first two seasons with the
Eagles, catching 88 passes for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022
and 106 passes for 1,456 yards and seven TDs in 2023.
He earned a Super Bowl ring during the 2024 season, but began to
grow unhappy last season as the Eagles offense stagnated — leading
to a change at offensive coordinator following a wild-card playoff
loss to San Francisco last season.
It led to an increase in chatter about the potential for a trade
heading into this offseason. It didn’t happen during April’s NFL
draft likely because the Eagles would have had about $43 million in
dead cap money for 2026 compared to about $16 million this year and
$27 million next year if traded after June 1.
Ultimately a high draft pick proved to be enough to persuade them to
deal a player of Brown’s caliber.
The Patriots have been viewed as a possible landing spot for Brown
since they released receiver Stefon Diggs in March. Diggs led New
England with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four
touchdowns in his only season in New England in 2025, helping the
Patriots reach the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Seattle
Seahawks.
Diggs’ exit made finding a No. 1 receiving option for quarterback
Drake Maye a priority. The Patriots did add former Green Bay Packers
receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency. But he doesn’t instantly change
an offense the way Brown’s addition could.
Maye acknowledged last week that he was aware of the Brown-to-New
England rumors.
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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown in action prior to an
NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Jan. 4, 2026,
in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)
“If he ends up being on our team, great. What a
great player. And if he doesn’t, we’ve still got to work these guys
here,” Maye said. “It’s a tough balance, but I know he’s a
phenomenal player.”
Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams, who was
on the Eagles 2024 Super Bowl-winning team with Brown, said the
receiver would be a big addition.
“He can definitely help our team,” Williams said. “Great dude.
Monster on the field, great in the locker room, holding guys
accountable and holding himself accountable. That’s everything you
want in a player of his caliber.”
Brown leaves Philadelphia as one of the top receivers in franchise
history. He topped 1,000 yards receiving all four seasons with the
Eagles. He totaled 339 total receptions and 32 touchdowns and was a
crucial member of the two Eagles teams that played in the Super Bowl
during his tenure.
Vrabel was entering his second season as coach of the Titans when
the team selected Brown in the second round of the 2019 draft.
Brown caught 185 passes for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns over the
next three years, peaking with a 2020 season in which he earned a
Pro Bowl selection after pulling in 70 receptions for 1,075 yards
and 11 touchdowns.
But the Titans wound up trading Brown to Philadelphia on the second
day of the 2022 draft that April despite having a season left on his
rookie deal. The team was adamant that it wasn’t its preference to
trade him but felt his asking price for an extension was too high.
Vrabel stated multiple times during that offseason that Brown would
be on the roster as long as he was the coach, but the realities of
the situation changed things.
“Unfortunately, we understand that if we’re going to be here awhile
we’re not going to be able to keep every single player that we draft
and develop,” Vrabel said at the time.
Four years later, he’ll get to coach him again.
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