Eagles Trade A.J. Brown to Patriots for 2028 First-Round Pick
9 verified6 unconfirmed
The Philadelphia Eagles traded wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots on Monday, June 1, 2026, ending months of speculation. Both teams confirmed the deal, which sends Brown to New England along with a reunion with head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached him with the Tennessee Titans. The trade comes after a frustrating 2025 season for Brown, who voiced displeasure with the Eagles’ struggling offense and caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. The Patriots had a clear need at wide receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs in March, and Brown provides quarterback Drake Maye with a No. 1 target. The Eagles will receive a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowl selection. Brown helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LIX during the 2024 season and recorded 339 receptions, 5,034 yards, and 32 touchdowns in 62 regular-season games with the Eagles. The trade was processed after June 1 to allow Philadelphia to spread the financial cap hit over multiple seasons.
What’s verified
The Philadelphia Eagles traded wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots on June 1, 2026.
The Patriots will send a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Eagles.
Brown reunites with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached him in Tennessee from 2019-2021.
Brown had 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2025 season.
He expressed frustration with the Eagles’ offense during the 2025 season.
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time second-team All-Pro.
He was a key part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship team in the 2024 season.
The Patriots reached Super Bowl LX in the 2025 season but lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
Both teams officially announced the trade.
Not yet confirmed
One source reported that the Patriots played an historically easy schedule in 2025 and that quarterback Drake Maye was an MVP candidate.
One source reported that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman originally sought a first- and second-round pick for Brown and that only the Patriots and Los Angeles Rams were aggressive in talks, with the Rams eventually dropping out.
One source reported that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie met with Brown in mid-November and asked him to stop airing grievances on social media.
One source reported that Brown had a sideline confrontation with Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni during a wild-card playoff loss.
One source reported that Brown confirmed he will attend cornerback Christian Gonzalez’s celebrity basketball game this weekend.
One source noted that the Brown trade was the second blockbuster deal of the day, with the Rams and Cleveland Browns also making a trade.
Key figures
A.J. Brown, Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, Howie Roseman, Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Stefon Diggs, Nick Sirianni, Jeffrey Lurie, Christian Gonzalez, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Marquise Brown, Elijah Moore, Makai Lemon, Sean Mannion, Eli Stowers
Sources: sbnation.com, The Guardian, sports.yahoo.com, profootballrumors.com
