A.J. Brown’s future with the Philadelphia Eagles is no longer secure after the franchise drafted a wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. His most widely speculated destination is the New England Patriots. However, former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel believes Brown’s potential role in New England’s roster remains unclear.

“I don’t think A.J. Brown is still a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. I think it was a year or two ago. But for this upcoming season, I don’t see A.J. Brown as a premier No. 1 wide receiver anymore,” Samuel stated on the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast.

Samuel does believe that A.J. Brown has overstayed his welcome with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he also acknowledges that Howie Roseman, the Eagles’ EVP, is a strong judge of a player’s prime and knows exactly when to make a deal and secure favorable compensation. And when people hear a name like A.J. Brown, they tend to overlook current ability, and that may be what the New England Patriots are doing as they look ahead to a potential trade on June 1, 2026.

As per the 45-year-old, the Patriots look at Brown as the perfect replacement for Stefon Diggs. Even Samuel agrees that Brown could be more productive than Diggs. But that’s if he doesn’t create a situation where his energy negatively impacts the locker room.

Of course, Brown has elite physicality with aggressive route running and exceptional body control at the catch point. And despite an inconsistent environment, he still managed to record 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games last season. 

Another aspect that works in favor of the 28-year-old is his relationship with Mike Vrabel. Samuel claimed that Vrabel wants to right his wrongs by properly utilizing Brown’s skills this season. The two are also quite close, having spent time together with the Tennessee Titans about five years ago. All of this makes a strong case in favor of the trade. But Samuel is still unconvinced. 

“No, I don’t think that A.J. Brown is throwing the best passes from his quarterback. That’s the truth,” Samuel continued. “But some, he still figures out a way to use his body and his body control to come up with big plays and make big catches… At the end of the day, I think A.J. Brown will be with the Eagles for another season, because no one is willing to give up the asking price the Eagles are asking for.” 

However, despite the legendary defensive back’s skepticism, the reality of the situation may be much more certain and strongly in favor of a trade.

NFL insider believes A.J. Brown trade might be inevitable 

“There’s nothing that has transpired here, despite all the events in New England, that has deterred this trade from coming up,” Adam Schefter said during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “I still think it is on track, I still think it is going to happen, I still think it’s likely to involve a future 1, likely a 2028 first-round draft pick.”

With a total of 5,368 receiving yards and 35 TDs, Brown is certainly one of the strongest WRs in the NFL. He even helped Jalen Hurts, the Eagles QB, win Super Bowl LIX, claiming a 40-22 win against the Chiefs. But his stint with the Philadelphia Eagles has most likely run its course.

Jeremy Fowler echoed this sentiment and said:

“If I had to guess, this deal probably is as good as done, though it’s important to remember that we’ve seen crazier things happen, and there can always be a team that gets in the mix to steal Brown from the Patriots if they truly believe that they’re going to land him after all of these reports.” 

While Samuel holds significant reservations regarding the veteran’s declining production, professional insiders confirm the blockbuster trade remains highly probable. Securing A.J. Brown ultimately gifts the New England Patriots a desperately needed offensive anchor to completely revitalize their passing attack. But if he’s right, Brown might have to spend another season with the Eagles.