Before inevitably trading for wide receiver A.J. Brown last month, most analysts didn't have many positive projections for what the Patriots could achieve during the 2026 season. Although they defied the odds and made it all the way to the Super Bowl last year, their much tougher schedule is expected to make their trip back to the Championship much more difficult.
Their path there has arguably gotten a little easier with the addition of Brown to the offense, as he gives Drake Maye his first superstar to work with early on in his NFL career.
The quarterback already put together an MVP-caliber campaign in his second season, falling just behind Matthew Stafford for the award last year, so it would be fair to suggest that giving him a player like Brown will elevate his game to a new level.
And because of that, predictions for what Brown can accomplish in his first season with the Patriots are rising, too. So much so that NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks anticipates he could be in the conversation for Offensive Player of the Year, even if he still considers him to be a longshot winner.
It's a feat that no Patriots player has accomplished since Tom Brady in 2010, when the quarterback put together a season worthy of being named MVP and OPOY.
A.J. Brown could become the first Patriot since Tom Brady in 2010 to win this NFL Award
While naming his candidates for every end-of-season award, Brooks chose Brown as his long shot for Offensive Player of the Year.
He notes that because his tenure with the Eagles didn't end so amicably, the receiver is "motivated to prove his worth," and he went to the right team to (hopefully) make that happen, with Maye under center and a pool of talented teammates and coaches around him.
"With Brown slotted into the WR1 role -- and surrounded by a collection of pass catchers with diverse games (possession receiver Romeo Doubs, designated deep threat Kyle Williams, dirty-work specialist Mack Hollins) -- the three-time second-team All-Pro could produce a spectacular stat line that pushes him close to the 2,000-yard mark.
Moreover, a bounce-back campaign would silence Brown's critics and put the spotlight back on his dynamic game."
Imagine if Brown doesn't just give Maye his best weapon to date to work with and continues his streak of recording 1,000+ receiving yards every season, but he also puts together one of the best seasons of his career and wins OPOY for the first time, too?
That would prove without a shadow of a doubt that the investment of a future first and third round pick to get the 29-year-old to Foxboro was well worth it, despite the naysayers who want to suggest otherwise.
There's a good chance he can make it happen, too, as his best season to date was his first year with the Eagles in 2022 when he recorded 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns, all while averaging 17 yards per catch.
Given that there is an argument to be made that Maye is a more talented passer than Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, there's plenty of reason to believe that Brown could replicate that kind of season with the Patriots, if not better, and could easily win the coveted award before next year's Super Bowl.
That would be a season worth commemorating in the same way Brady's 2010 season was, and it would be a great way to celebrate not only acquiring Brown but also his accomplishments, such as earning that acknowledgment from the league.
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