Since it became clear that the Eagles were willing to trade wide receiver AJ Brown this offseason, the Patriots immediately became the most obvious trade partner given the connection to Mike Vrabel and their need for a clear-cut WR1.
Not to mention, the infamous mistake by Bill Belichick for passing on Brown for N'Keal Harry, so this gives them a chance to right a former wrong.
With that in mind, plus all the chatter surrounding an unofficial deal, it seems like a waiting game for the trade to be announced, with June 1 circled on the calendar. At this point, it looks inevitable that Brown will suit up with the Patriots, and the Eagles continue to dish out more signs that he won't be on their roster in 2026.
From the looks of it, there hasn't been any competition for Vrabel and Co. to worry about, as nearly all talk about another team inquiring about the receiver's availability has subsided. That is, until now.
The latest rumor suggests the Jaguars are a team to be concerned about, and that's terrible news for the Patriots, who looked just days away from adding Brown to their roster.
The Eagles could ruin the Patriots' hopes of trading for AJ Brown with a shocking new team
In a new episode of Up & Adams with Kay Adams, NFL insider James Palmer discussed the presumed upcoming Brown trade and the Patriots as the team to get it done. He mentions they look like the frontrunner, but Adams threw in the Jaguars as a team to watch out for, and the insider didn't exactly shut that down.
In fact, he emphasized GM Howie Roseman's likely desire to explore all possibilities for a trade to secure the best return, and that the Jaguars might offer something better than the Patriots can.
A.J. Brown to the Jaguars?
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 19, 2026
NFL Insider James Palmer says Howie Roseman will keep shopping his star WR with teams other than the Patriots 👀@JamesPalmerTV | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/uRU9ykRyht
This isn't exactly what any Patriots fan wants to hear, especially since many have started a countdown to when the trade will hopefully be announced.
The problem is, as Palmer says, nothing can be made official until after June 1. Given that the Eagles will want to wait until then to make a trade, given the salary implications, the Patriots can't rely on a "wink and a nod" agreement before then.
That has been the sentiment over the past few weeks, with the assumption that a deal was essentially agreed to in advance but can't be announced until June 2. And while that's completely possible, it doesn't mean another team can't swoop in and steal Brown away; if they make a better offer, there's no reason to believe Roseman won't take that deal instead.
It would obviously be a nightmare for the Patriots, who have seemingly conducted their offseason based on the premise that Brown will be on the roster, so hopefully, this isn't foreshadowing what's to come.
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