The New England Patriots were major winners this weekend. It goes without saying that their 28-16 win over the Texans was massive: it was just their second playoff win since their Super Bowl LIII victory over the Rams.
Additionally, however, the result of last week's NFC matchup greatly improved their odds of landing an elite wide receiver, and one of Mike Vrabel's former players in Tennessee.
The Eagles' loss to the 49ers was disastrous, but the way it happened was especially disappointing. Their offense scored just 19 points against an injured Niners squad, and star receiver A.J. Brown caught just 3 of his 7 targets for 25 yards.
He also had two drops after having one the entire season. You'd have to go all the way back to their Divisional Round matchup against the Rams last season to find a game in which he matched that total.
A sideline altercation with head coach Nick Sirianni didn't help the optics for Brown, who had his lowest receiving yards total since 2021, when he appeared in just 13 games. The Eagles may look to deal Brown this offseason if he doesn't otherwise force his way out via a trade request.
The Patriots are a top trade destination for A.J. Brown
The Patriots are a top destination for the star receiver for a reason, and are suggested as one of the top five teams that should pursue the 28-year-old by Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport.
Along with the Patriots, their rival, the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens, and the Chargers are all mentioned as AFC teams that could be interested. The team that just eliminated Brown, the 49ers, is also mentioned.
The Patriots make the most sense as a destination for the star wideout. After going 14-3 in the regular season and now headed for the AFC Championship, the team has proven they're one of the league's top teams. They are 9th in effective cap space this offseason and have 12 draft picks, meaning they have plenty of capital to make a move.
A trade for Brown would require New England to absorb the bulk of his contract, and because of that, Philadelphia would likely get less value in return. While the Patriots' first-round pick might be the benchmark for landing Brown otherwise, they may be able to get away with the deal they were rumored to have offered the Eagles midseason: a second-round pick and Kayshon Boutte.
Boutte has been an excellent deep threat this season, but he isn't close to the level of A.J. Brown. The trade would offer New England the opportunity to pair Brown and Diggs, with a third receiver of Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, or Pop Douglas.
Alternatively, the Patriots could offer a deal involving Douglas and a pick (perhaps a fifth-rounder?) instead of Douglas, which would put Brown and Boutte as the primary outside receivers and Diggs in the slot.
A top-64 draft pick, a player, and plenty of financial wiggle room will be necessary to land a player of Brown's caliber, but it would not doubt be worth it for New England. The Patriots are 5-0 this season when Diggs has 100+ yards, and having a second outside weapon would only further improve the league's second-best offense.