A.J. Brown trade rumor offers update on timeline, Patriots' odds of acquiring Eagles WR

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Another day, another New England Patriots trade rumor connecting them to a possible blockbuster deal with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown.

It is now the worst-kept secret in the NFL that the Patriots are trying to acquire Brown, and it's not hard to see why they're interested.

New England released Stefon Diggs and the team now lacks a true No. 1 wideout. The addition of Romeo Doubs helps, but he's a No. 2, at best.

The latest rumor surrounding the Patriots and a possible trade for Brown comes from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A.J. Brown-Patriots trade rumor

Schefter not only maintains that the Eagles are intent on trading Brown after June 1, he also noted that the Patriots "are by far the most likely landing spot."

The ESPN reporter did go on to add that "there are certain pockets and windows" for a trade to go down sooner, and the 2026 NFL draft "would be one of those times."

The reason behind the Eagles' desire to trade Brown after June 1 has to do with the dead-money hit Philly would take on.

Instead of absorbing a whopping $40 million in 2026, trading Brown after June 1 allows Philly to spread that cap hit out. That's why it's unlikely we'll see a Brown trade before the aforementioned date.

The problem for the Patriots in that scenario is that they could wait all that time and depend on Brown to provide the upgrade the team needs, but there is at least an outside chance something changes and New England gets left out in the cold.

Perhaps there is a handshake deal behind the scenes we don't know about, but if not there is at least some risk with the Patriots waiting this out.

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