Throughout the 2026 offseason, there have been nonstop discussions about the Patriots trading with the Eagles for wide receiver AJ Brown after June 1, when his dead cap spreads out over the next two seasons, and now that we're just days away from it finally happening, rumors have begun to swirl that a deal is far from agreed upon.
Despite the number of NFL insiders claiming otherwise over the past few weeks, there are now reports that the teams haven't unofficially agreed to a deal, sending panic through New England, as fans have longed for a player of Brown's caliber.
For the most part, it's being chalked up to the Eagles' front office hoping that another team will swoop in and make a better offer, even though all reports have indicated no other team has expressed that kind of interest in Brown since a deal with the Rams fell through.
And now, the tables are turning, with insiders revealing different information from various sources, with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer settling the chaos with a positive update that all Patriots fans will want to hear.
Albert Breer puts the latest AJ Brown rumors to rest ahead of inevitable trade
During an appearance on NBC Sports Boston on Friday, Breer emphasized the "high likelihood" that the Patriots will acquire Brown early next week.
He further added that, from what he's been told, the "framework is in place for a trade," a rumor that has circulated for several weeks, with most reports suggesting it will include a future first-round pick and more.
There is a “very high likelihood” AJ Brown will be traded to the #Patriots next week with framework for a deal already set, per @AlbertBreer.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) May 30, 2026
“My understanding is the framework is in place for a trade to be made early next week that’ll make AJ Brown a Patriot.”
(🎥 NBCS Boston) pic.twitter.com/bq81LSTs42
This isn't any different than what we've been hearing about for most of the offseason, so all the rumors to the contrary appear to be just that: rumors.
It likely is something that the Eagles' front office put out there in hopes that another team might make a call, although the Patriots have long been the team to make the best offer for Brown, and because of that, it's felt like only a matter of time before he's traded to New England.
The connection to Mike Vrabel from their days in Tennessee, and the fact that Brown wanted to be drafted by the Patriots in 2019, make a trade feel like a match made in heaven. It certainly would have been nicer if they had him on the roster for the last seven years, but better late than never.
Hopefully, Breer's most recent update is accurate, and there will be no roadblocks to getting a trade done as soon as Tuesday.
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