The Patriots effect has already hit A.J. Brown in a way no player wants

Since the day Bill Belichick shockingly selected wide receiver N'Keal Harry with the final pick of the first round in the 2019 NFL Draft, Patriots fans have longed for A.J. Brown to suit up with the team at some point, preferably sooner rather than later.

That made him a prime trade target when the Titans were said to be shopping him in 2022, only for the receiver not to wind up in New England until four years later. For the most part, it's better late than never, and now that he is set to be Drake Maye's No. 1 target, there is a lot of optimism about what the pair can do in Year 1 together.

Brown immediately becomes the best pass-catcher the Patriots have had since Julian Edelman in 2020, and, as a result, expectations are high for what he can do in Foxboro.

He's recorded six 1,000+ receiving yard seasons during his career, with the only year falling below that being due to injury, and the hope is that he will bring that kind of production to the Patriots, as they very much need it.

But it already looks like the negative effects of being on the Patriots are starting to hit Brown in an unexpected way, which is shocking, considering he has long been considered one of the best at the position over the last seven years.

A.J. Brown is already being overlooked since becoming the Patriots' next superstar receiver

That apparently isn't felt by his league mates, at least according to his latest ranking in the NFL Top 100 players list.

It was recently revealed that Brown came in at No. 80, as the first Patriots player to make the list, and although that's not necessarily an issue, the fact is that just one year ago he was ranked No. 29.

How did he fall so far in just one year?

Because his production didn't drastically fall from 2024 to 2025, the only fair assumption is that, because they believed he was going to be on the Patriots this fall, since the voting for the Top 100 takes place after the Super Bowl, he was ranked far lower than he should be, simply because he would be on the team.

That might sound a bit outlandish, but considering the disrespect the Patriots have been victims of over the last 25 years, even throughout the dynasty years with Tom Brady leading nearly every statistical category for quarterbacks and the fact he led the team to six Super Bowl titles, it wouldn't be a stretch to believe Brown is the latest to see the negative impact of being in Foxboro.

It's frustrating to see as a fan, and surely as a player, but there is a silver lining to the ongoing negativity surrounding the team: it gives them more motivation to prove everyone wrong.

That has been part of their mantra for much of the last two decades and became a significant part of their identity last year under Mike Vrabel. It looks like they will continue being overlooked and dismissed, despite making it all the way to the Super Bowl a few months ago, and that can be what drives their success this fall.

It will be something Brown hasn't really been subjected to much throughout his career, so hopefully, he uses it as a tool to have one of the best seasons of his career, much like his first year with the Eagles.

There is a strong belief that pairing him with Maye will make superstars of both, and that would certainly be a way for Brown to end the negativity surrounding his immediate future.

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