The obsession around making AJ Brown the next New England Patriots superstar receiver picked up where it left off last offseason, and considering they still need some upgrading in their receiving corps, pulling off a trade still makes a lot of sense for this team.
For the most part, mock trades have assumed that the Patriots would need to break the bank, more so from a draft perspective, to get the Eagles to bite. But the latest trade proposal from CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan doesn't do that, yet still gets the deal done.
That makes it an easy yes in the eyes of every Patriots fan, especially with Stefon Diggs' future up in the air for one reason or another, and the importance of continuing to surround Drake Maye with the caliber of talent that his offense should be.
The Patriots would have zero reason not to make this trade offer if the Eagles would accept it for AJ Brown
While exploring trade ideas for five teams, the Patriots are considered the No. 2 option, only behind the Bills, as the likeliest to get a deal done for Brown. Considering they have his former head coach running the show in New England, that probably gives them a leg up over their divisional rival, but that would be it.
Sullivan suggests the Patriots trade a much cheaper draft package to Philadelphia than most other analysts have proposed. If the Eagles would accept it, then there's no reason not to make the move.
This is the ideal situation to get a player like Brown in the door. It would allow the Patriots to keep their first- and second-round selections, while giving the Eagles extra picks to bolster their team and keep their Super Bowl window open a bit longer.
The only issue they could run into is if the Bills make a similar offer to Sullivan's suggestion: sending their 2026 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) for Brown. That's a much better selection for the Eagles than what the Patriots would offer in this situation, and Buffalo might be desperate enough to offer it.
It's probably closer to what the Eagles would want in return, anyway, especially looking at the most recent blockbuster wide receiver trades and how each one of them involved a second-rounder.
The Patriots could throw that in instead if they really believe Brown is the guy to make their offense better, since that is pick No. 63, not much lower than where the Bills are picking. But it all depends on how comfortable Vrabel and Co. are with making that kind of trade, since they are trying to build their roster through the draft and with younger talent.
Brown doesn't fit either of those boxes, but his history with Vrabel, who was the head coach of the Titans when he was drafted, could be the difference-maker.
Much of this might not even matter in the long run, given the financial implications the Eagles will face. However, if they wait until after the June 1st deadline, things become much easier and more palatable for Philadelphia, as Over The Cap notes here.
"If the team waited until the summer to make a trade the post June 1 rules would be in effect. The team would be looking at $22.09 million in dead money this year and $21.6 million in dead money in 2027(that number is the net number as the Eagles will receive a cap credit for $5.5 million in 2027).
One thing that also works in the Eagles favor in a summer trade is that teams are far more willing to part with future picks, especially if they need to cover for an injury, and often can have all kinds of conditionals attached that can bring the round of the trade up."
The cap situation might shut down any and all conversations about a potential trade, leaving the Patriots' dream scenario remain just that. But there's a reason to never say never in the NFL, as we've seen plenty of trades over the years that looked impossible or improbable, yet they still happened, and this could be another one of those times.