NFL Rumors: One Team Widely Expected to Acquire AJ Brown

April 13, 2026 , ,
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown reacts during 2025 game.

The Philadelphia Eagles have said the same thing every time anyone asks about AJ Brown all offseason: he's an Eagle, end of conversation. 

GM Howie Roseman has repeated it so many times it's almost a reflex. "A.J. Brown is a member of the Eagles," he told reporters at the NFL's annual meeting in March. "From my perspective, anything you ask me about A.J. Brown, I'm going to go right back to that answer." 

Coach Nick Sirianni said nothing's changed. Owner Jeffrey Lurie said the same. And yet, the rumors won't die, because there's something underneath them that's real. 

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the Eagles had serious conversations with both the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots about a trade. The Rams eventually walked away, with GM Les Snead confirming publicly: "We chatted with Philly, nothing worked out. There were talks, we had discussions, didn't work out. That happens." 

Then came Adam Schefter, who revealed on air that the Rams and Eagles were "further along at one point than people realized"; closer, he said, than anyone had reported at the time. 

Why The Eagles Haven't Pulled the Trigger Yet

If Philadelphia trades Brown before June 1, they absorb a $43 million dead cap hit, which is an organizational nonstarter. 

After June 1, that number drops to $16.4 million spread across 2026 and 2027, which is manageable for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. 

Brown signed a three-year, $96 million extension in April 2024 that doesn't even begin until 2027, with $84 million guaranteed, so whoever acquires him is inheriting a legitimate long-term commitment, not a rental. 

The Eagles' ask is steep: at least one first-round pick and a top-100 selection, per Sports Illustrated. Brown has his own list of preferred destinations (the Patriots, Chargers, Bills and Chiefs) and he went into the offseason coming off a season where he had four games with two or fewer receptions and just three catches on seven targets in Philly's wild-card loss to San Francisco. 

The public frustration, telling fantasy football managers to drop him, and suggesting "Madden" was the only way to find his highlights, hasn't gone away. 

Former Eagle DeSean Jackson also said in November he knew "something else" was going on between Brown and Jalen Hurts. 

New England Is in the Lead For Now

The Athletic's Zach Berman said last week: "Few are convinced that Brown will return," and the Patriots are widely viewed as the frontrunner if a deal happens after June 1. 

His colleague Mike Sando reported that AFC executives "expect the Patriots to acquire receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia in June." New England's need is obvious, as they released Stefon Diggs, signed Romeo Doubs, and are building an offense around second-year QB Drake Maye that desperately needs a genuine No. 1 option. 

Mike Vrabel coached Brown for three seasons in Tennessee and spoke at the owners' meeting about his ability to handle him: "Everyone wants to excel. What receiver doesn't want to catch the ball?"  

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images 

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