The start of draft week has been filled with plenty of rumors surrounding what appears to be an inevitable trade between the Patriots and the Eagles for wide receiver AJ Brown. The teams have been connected all offseason, and now that a deal is inching closer, speculation has heated up even more, with NFL insiders suggesting a deal is nearly (unofficially) reached.
They have emphasized that nothing will be made official until June 1, when Brown's dead cap spreads out over the next two years, allowing them to trade him with far more confidence and less dead money to account for.
So at this point, it looks like Patriots fans will just have to count down the days until June to see the three-time Pro Bowler finally on the roster. And based on his absence this week from the Eagles' offseason workout program, all signs point to Brown being on his way out of Philadelphia soon.
The #Eagles begin their offseason workout program today and WR A.J. Brown is not expected to attend as he awaits clarity on his future, sources tell The Insiders.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 20, 2026
There’s nothing mandatory before June 1, when trade talks with the #Patriots and perhaps others likely resume. pic.twitter.com/tXCEqSbyVM
Although the workouts are voluntary, who attends and who doesn't is always a story for every team, particularly involving players on the brink of an extension or those who might be looking for a trade.
Because Brown is in that situation, his absence sends a clear message that he is unlikely to return to the Eagles in 2026, which is a good sign for Patriots fans who have long wanted to see him suit up in the red, white, and blue.
Patriots fans receive another sign that AJ Brown is likely being traded to New England this offseason
Despite GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni's insistence that Brown would remain with the Eagles and that they want him there, their free-agency moves, which included signing a handful of receivers and even trading for one, imply otherwise.
On top of that, Brown hasn't had much to say on the matter, either, not even coming out to shut down the ongoing rumors about wanting out or wanting to reunite with Mike Vrabel in New England, which is very telling for a player who is typically pretty vocal.
Even worse for the Eagles was Brown's appearance on Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski's podcast, where he repeatedly hinted at being traded to their longtime team. Surely, he knew something was already in the works or, at the very least, was making it beyond clear he wanted to be traded.
Now that he's not showing up to the first time the team gets together this offseason, it only furthers the league-wide belief that he will be traded in less than two months.
Hopefully, that's what happens, and the Patriots can approach the draft accordingly without it falling apart at the last second. That would be a disaster, and they certainly can't afford it.
Instead, they can put the receiving corps over the top with Brown becoming the inarguable WR1 and add more talent through the draft to boost the offense to a new level for the 2026 season.
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