The New England Patiots cut ties with their best 2025 receiver, Stefon Diggs, after the season. Among their many needs to fill in the upcoming NFL draft or by trade, is a No. 1 wide receiver. A possible trade for the Eagles' A.J. Brown has been all the rage this offseason. Now, NFL.com's Matt Okada has suggested six potential trade packages the Eagles might consider if they decide to trade him. The Patriots are at the top of his list.
The Patriots will pick at No. 31 in the NFL Draft, which begins on April 30, if they use the pick. No player they can draft could have a greater impact on the team than veteran No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown. He'd immediately step in for Diggs and upgrade the position.
Brown is both a three-time Pro-Bowler and a three-time second-team All-Pro, a perennial 1000-yard receiver, and the only question about the 28-year-old is one of health. If his health checks out, the Patriots should do whatever they must to make this deal happen. That includes unloading their No. 1 pick plus this season. He'd be the Patriots' best receiver since Julian Edelman retired.
The Patriots should just make an A.J. Brown trade happen
When a team has a quarterback as good as Drake Maye, there have to be two co-equal offensive imperatives every offseason to fill above all others. They need to ensure that he has an offensive line that can keep him healthy and give him time to pass first and foremost. Then, they need to stock the cupboard with top receivers. Combine the two, and you have a perennial winner, playoff team, and Super Bowl contender.
In his suggested Patriots' trade for Brown, NFL.com's Okada has proposed a trade scenario that should be palatable to Mike Vrabel and his personnel team. He has them sending
"The Patriots have figured as a potential landing spot for Brown all offseason, and it makes a lot of sense...Brown would step into New England as the clear-cut No. 1 and he'd probably be franchise's most legitimate “X” receiver since Randy Moss nearly two decades ago. Brown is also an excellent fit for Maye’s arm and the Patriots' downfield offense."
The sticking point in this scenario is the first-round pick, and arguments can be made on both sides. The Patriots need to improve their offensive line (one of their top two offseason imperatives mentioned) and a number of other positions, including the edge.
The list seems to be growing as Vrabel and company continue to jettison remnants of the Belichick era like refuse off a New York scow.
Yet, having a No. 1 receiver on hand for Drake Maye can't be overestimated in value. A trade for Brown will cause nightmares for the AFC East and other opponents' defenses. He's a bona fide star, and trading a first-round pick, a fourth-round pick this season (the Patriots have two), and Boutte for Brown isn't excessive if his health checks out.
The Patriots can't do better with those assets than bringing A.J. Brown into the fold. Quality rules. If/when they can, they should just make the deal.