A.J. Brown is still an Eagle, technically. But with the 2026 NFL Draft kicking off in Pittsburgh this week and a June 1 trade deadline looming that could save the Eagles tens of millions in cap space, the clock is ticking on whether that stays true. Philadelphia’s relationship with its star receiver has been on thin ice since last season. The only real question left, it seems, is whether New England can avoid a bidding war. According to the Boston Globe‘s Ben Volin, they just might.

“The only team I’ve heard being significantly involved is New England, and I think the parties know it,” wrote Ben Volin when speaking about A.J. Brown’s future.

Throughout the offseason, only the Patriots have emerged as potential suitors for Brown. As of now, there is no competition from any other franchise. It puts the Patriots in a good position to land the wide receiver. But there has been no confirmation from any side about a trade. It is all rumors at this point.

With the departure of Stefon Diggs, there is a massive void in the WR room. Although they have added Romeo Doubs, he does not have the same stats as Brown. If they were to add the three-time Pro Bowler, quarterback Drake Maye would have one of the best pass-catching duos in the league.

Moreover, Brown being unhappy with the Eagles gives them leverage. Despite crossing the 1,000+ yards mark, he recorded his lowest average (12.9 yards per reception) in 2025. He even called the offense a “Sh*t show” on a Twitch stream. All these things bolster the chances of Brown leaving the Eagles.

Also, head coach Mike Vrabel is familiar with his game since they worked together at the Tennessee Titans. Brown has always been vocal about how Vrabel helped him develop during his rookie year. While everything points towards a trade taking place in the near future, the Eagles’ general manager, Howie Roseman, is not aligning with the rumors.

Howie Roseman has taken his stance on the A.J. Brown situation

The A.J. Brown saga has been going on for a long time. But none of the parties involved have taken any significant steps in each other’s direction. Amid all the speculation, the Philadelphia Eagles’ general manager has finally spoken on the matter, claiming that A.J. Brown is still with the Eagles.

“From my perspective, anything you ask me about A.J. Brown, I’m going to go right back to that answer,” said Howie Roseman at the league meetings at the end of March. “But I understand the interest. I put on TV, and I see that there’s interest, but my answer is A.J. Brown is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.”

Roseman is well aware of the situation, but Brown is still under contract with the Eagles. Even if he were to leave, the Eagles would feel financially incentivized to wait until after July 1. If Brown were to leave Philadelphia before June 1, the franchise would incur a dead cap of $43 million while adding roughly $20 million to their active cap.

But if they were to trade him post-June 1, it would spread the dead cap over two seasons. In 2026, it will be $16.4 million, and the rest $27.1 million in 2027. Along with it, they would also save $7 million in active cap. However, there are still some issues. Volin also noted that for someone of the Super Bowl winner’s stature, the Eagles are looking for a first-round pick in exchange. But that is something that the Patriots may not be willing to abide by, which is why they are keeping the other doors open.

Analysts expect the Patriots to select a wide receiver in the draft

A.J. Brown is someone the Patriots have eyed for some time now. But they are not keeping their entire focus on the Eagles’ WR. With the NFL Draft coming in a few days, the franchise is believed to have targeted Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston.

Boston has played 43 games (26 starts) and added 1,781 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in 132 receptions. He has a large catch radius and big hands. His fluid releases off the line, long strides, and in-breaking routes make him an “X-receiver” for the Patriots. Moreover, he only has a drop rate of 2.5%, which is a further boost to his stats.

Boston looks like a great fit for the franchise. But the Patriots are also targeting an edge rusher. So, there is a big question mark whether they will go for an edge rusher in the first round and then trade for Brown or if they have something else in mind. While they don’t have any competition in adding A.J. Brown to the roster, there are some issues that they need to address first.