Throughout the offseason, there was an expectation that rumors regarding the Eagles trading AJ Brown to the Patriots would heat up, and to say that has happened wouldn't be a proper way to explain just how much it has dominated the conversation surrounding both teams.
With the 2026 NFL Draft right around the corner, there have been rumors suggesting a trade could happen, despite the insanely high dead cap the Eagles would take on if they traded Brown before June 1. But there is a chance they make the decision sooner rather than later, even if they have tried to claim they plan to keep him around.
The most recent reports have stated the Eagles are not interested in a trade right now, while Eliot Wolf shared this week that he hasn't had discussions with their front office about Brown in a long time.
However, a new rumor coming out of the owner's meeting in Phoenix hints that the Patriots could get a trade done for Brown at some point, at least according to a beat reporter on Twitter/X.
AJ Brown heading to the Patriots continues to heat up as the offseason goes on
Easton Freeze of AtoZSports, covering the Titans, sent out a tweet declaring his belief that Brown will wear a Patriots jersey for the 2026 season.
Because he was present for the meetings, he surely heard what was being said within NFL circles. Although he's far from a reliable source, since he's not connected to either team, it's certainly something to take into consideration moving forward.
One thing I’ll be leaving the owners meetings way too sure of: AJ Brown will wear a Patriots jersey this fall.
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) March 31, 2026
This is the latest and strongest development on the trade front in recent weeks, since most reporting on the matter over the past month has been contradictory at best, and Freeze now shares the same impression as many in New England and Philadelphia have.
It seems like only a matter of time before a trade is announced, and it'll only grow stronger throughout the draft and into training camp. It likely won't happen until June, but it does feel like a forgone conclusion that we're just waiting to see what the return will be.