After months of waiting with plenty of rumors suggesting a trade was close and others claiming it wasn't, the Patriots have finally announced they will be acquiring receiver AJ Brown from the Eagles for a 2028 first-round pick plus a 2026 fifth-rounder, proving the Mike Vrabel era is willing to do what it takes to put the team over the top.
That news will dominate headlines for the next week, but within that news is something that will probably go under the radar.
In the excitement of the trade announcement, Christian Gonzalez took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the trade, which is (of course) excitement about what he can bring to the offense this fall, but he also said something interesting: "See you this weekend, teammate."
While it might mean he will be there for his charity game, it might be a good sign for what's to come, too.
Christian Gonzalez officially announced that #Patriots WR AJ Brown will be attending his community event this weekend!
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) June 1, 2026
“Perfecting timing… see you this weekend teammate 😏🫢🫱🏾”
(📸 christian.gonzalez3 IG) pic.twitter.com/gy7EDLYTKj
That might not seem like a big deal to most, but because Gonzalez hasn't been at the facility for OTAs this offseason, presumably due to a contract dispute, it's noteworthy that he mentioned he will see Brown soon.
Could that mean he plans to be at Gillette Stadium sooner rather than later?
Christian Gonzalez hints that he will be back with the Patriots sooner than expected
Because of the apparent standoff in negotiations, Gonzalez has not attended any OTA practices so far, and that is expected to continue until an extension is signed.
There is no end date in sight for that right now, according to reports, and it looks like the situation will be dragged out much longer than Patriots fans were hoping for, which has many concerned about a holdout this summer.
A silver lining is that Gonzalez will host a charity basketball game this upcoming weekend, and Brown has already stated he will be there. Maybe being around his teammates and seeing the increased excitement about the 2026 season will convince him to be back with the team ahead of training camp.
It's hard to say if that will happen, and maybe it's a dream situation fans are hoping for so the worst-case scenario feels further away. But it's something worth watching over the next week, and hopefully, it won't be another part of this offseason to stress about.
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