On paper, A.J. Brown recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards this past season and helped keep the Philadelphia Eagles‘ struggling offense afloat. But at the same time, the now-New England Patriots wideout was very vocal about his team’s struggles. Brown confirmed that he did so intentionally. And that has left former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel struggling to understand the difference between the two.

“A.J. Brown did not say he leaked the Eagles story to the media,” Samuel said on Say What Needs To Be Said. “What he said was he purposely pushed stories to the media to prepare his team to work on problems they were having. Now, what I don’t understand is what the hell is the difference? What is the difference between what A.J. Brown said and leaking stories? It’s all the same thing.

“How does A.J. Brown’s teammates trust him after hearing his comments about putting out stories to help motivate his teammates?” Samuel added. “…If I had to trust A.J. Brown as a teammate of mine, I wouldn’t hold anything against him at first, right? I wouldn’t hold those comments against him. But how he handles adversity moving forward would concern me, that would become my concern, basically. But as soon as anything starts to happen from A.J. Brown, now it’s time to attack the issue head-on and make sure A.J. Brown or his issues aren’t a problem moving forward, where he can’t be a cancer to the team.”

Samuels played with the Patriots for five years. And now, that very team is getting Brown and his tendency to be very open to the media. However, there is a serious notion to be debunked here.

Samuels’ claim stems from Mike Florio calling out “insider” Dov Kleiman, who reported that Brown indeed gave away inside information to the media when he was at Philly. But Florio suspected that Kleiman’s account was bought by someone else. Florio, in his report, vehemently stated that Brown did not leak information to the media.

“Both “Kleiman” and Wingo (and more than a few others) claimed that Patriots receiver A.J. Brown, during his recent interview with Maria Taylor, admitted that he “leaked” stories to the media in an effort to motivate the Eagles,” the analyst wrote. “Brown never said that. BROWN NEVER SAID THAT.”

Those who have followed the A.J. Brown story closely know that the WR did not hold back on his disappointment with the Eagles. Brown was getting fewer reps in the Kevin Patullo offense, was seen reading a book mid-game, and claimed that everything around him was a “s— show.” The breakdown of his relationship with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was also another topic of discussion; from best friends, they went to “….”

Brown admitted in the interview to NBC’s Maria Taylor that he said some of those things to “give [the team] a purpose.”

“Honestly, I felt like it was OK to do.”

Philly’s offensive struggles last year do Brown a little justice. They ranked 19th in points per game at 22.3, 24th in total offense and third-down conversion rate, too, at 37.1%. The struggles became obvious in the Wild-Card round, with the game on the line against the San Francisco 49ers after Jalen Hurts decided to run four verticals on the second straight play, and eventually lost.

Who wouldn’t be frustrated at this point?

The New England Patriots had long been tabbed as a landing spot for A.J. Brown. Had there been issues in his integrity, the top brass would have flagged it and reconsidered. Brown was offered that contract with the Patriots knowing what the WR said. After all, he never his anything from anyone.

Mike Vrabel has no second thoughts about A.J. Brown in the Patriots

After the trade was announced, the New England head coach was asked about his relationship with Brown, and how it played a role in bringing the WR to his new home. Both Vrabel and Brown knew each other from their Tennessee Titans stints.

“But [Brown is] somebody that we also feel strongly about as a person and a competitor and as a teammate.”

Looking at the upside Brown gives to the team, there was no way Vrabel was not going to use this opportunity. They had a veteran receiver in Stefon Diggs, but he started to draw too much negative attention on the team because of his off-field controversies. Brown was not that much of a bother, clearly.

Quarterback Drake Maye now gets a seasoned WR to throw at, along with Romeo Doubs. Going by Brown’s high praise for his new team, the Patriots should not have a reason to be worried about.