The Monday after the 2026 NFL Draft provided us with a whole lot of intriguing fallout coverage, but when Adam Schefter made a regular appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he had no choice but to cover a juicy New England Patriots story that's been brewing for quite some time.
Everyone knows the Patriots are expecting to be the next team for current Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown. It's just a matter of timing on a trade.
When speaking with McAfee on Monday, Schefter offered yet another update in this longstanding, tired scenario (although it'll end up with plenty of excitement in New England):
“I expect that this trade will come together in June 1st... It’s not gonna be hard to get done. The Eagles are open to moving him, the Patriots want him, and I believe in the end it will involve a future first-round draft pick. My guess is 2028 — one in 2028. But, let’s see what the two sides finally figure out there in the end.”
Adam Schefter says the Patriots will likely trade a 2028 first-round pick for AJ Brown
As if Patriots fans couldn't be more on the "can we please stop talking about this until it's finally done" train, this only adds more fuel to that fire.
Not that the fire could grow any larger, at this point, but you get the idea.
The almost-fact of the matter is, Brown is going to be a Patriot in the near future. At this stage, it's a matter of just over a month. And, this update from Schefter is a positive one.
Howie Roseman hasn't backed down from wanting a first-round pick for Brown, but now, it looks like the Patriots will have the luxury of pushing that pick back to 2028 rather than parting with a selection in what's supposed to be an absolutely loaded 2027 class.
To be able to get Brown and keep their next-closest first-round pick would be a massive win for the Patriots.
On the other hand, it'd be a win for the Eagles, as there are a lot of folks out there who might not believe Brown is worth a first rounder. Maybe, a combination of a second and a fourth, or something along those lines, makes more sense.
But, a first-round pick? That's a steep price to pay.
And at the same time, Brown represents exactly what the Patriots have lacked since drafting Drake Maye. Brown is a legitimate outside threat, regardless of how he's perceived in Philadelphia right now.
So, for a 2028 first rounder, the Patriots should be all-in.
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