So much of the conversation surrounding the New England Patriots at the start of the offseason has been about the possibility, or apparent likelihood, that a trade for Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown will happen at some point. All signs indicate it's only a matter of time, unless you ask the higher-ups of the teams involved.
Despite the Eagles' staff giving mixed signals about Brown's availability, it seems clear that a trade is not going to happen any time soon, regardless of the draft being right around the corner. Patriots' GM Eliot Wolf seemed to imply that as well, and it's not exactly what fans were hoping to hear.
During his appearance on Up & Adams on Monday morning, Wolf said he hasn't spoken to the Eagles about Brown in "a long time," presumably shutting down any lingering hope that a trade has already been agreed to or is close to being done.
Exec. VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf says the Patriots front office hasn't had any conversations about Eagles WR A.J. Brown "in a long time"@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/OXBoqFv92W
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 30, 2026
That's far from what the most recent rumors have suggested about an under-the-table agreement already being made, and it now shifts the feeling within Patriots Nation toward concern about the future of the receiving corps.
If the Patriots don't trade for AJ Brown, then how will they upgrade the receiver room?
After failing to convince Alec Pierce to leave the Colts in free agency and not signing any of the top names that were on the market this offseason, Patriots fans have expressed concern about how much better the receiving corps will be in 2026 than it was in 2025.
That is especially true after they chose to release Stefon Diggs just one year into his contract and have signed only Romeo Doubs as a replacement.
There is a lot of speculation that they will select a receiver high in the draft, despite the other needs that might be more important to address, but that shouldn't be the only way they improve their roster, especially if other trades are still on the table.
They have no reason to back off a potential move for Brown, as he has already hinted that he wants to be in Foxboro this offseason, and his connection to Mike Vrabel makes it an easy transition. But there are other players they should look into, as well, that could be the upgrade they need.
Other names that could be dangled on the market, like Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, and Brian Thomas Jr., are all intriguing talents who would immediately make Drake Maye's job a whole lot easier, and they might be cheaper to trade for, too.
No matter what, the Patriots' front office needs to explore any and all possibilities over the next few months, whether Brown is made available or not, or the offense will be in worse shape than it should be.