Eagles Trade A.J. Brown to Patriots: What Does It Mean?

After months and months of speculation, the Philadelphia Eagles have officially traded All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots. Both sides have worked towards this seemingly inevitable deal over the last several months. Yet now the trade agreement could finally be made official on June 1 after 4:00 P.M. ET.

Here are the official terms of the trade agreement between the Eagles and the Patriots, according to multiple reports:

Eagles receive:

• 2028 first-round pick

• 2027 fifth-round pick

Patriots receive:

• A.J. Brown

While the Eagles didn’t land the 2027 first-round pick that they were reportedly seeking, Philadelphia did manage to land a 2028 first-round pick. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has shown a willingness to wait for future picks, as he doesn’t necessarily devalue them like some others may around the NFL. Given Roseman’s job security, he can take the chance on future picks and know that he’ll still be around to actually make them.

Roseman did something similar when he traded edge rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets for a conditional 2026 third-round pick in 2024. Now the Eagles have three first-round picks to work with over the next two years, which could always be used in another trade. Roseman’s work never stops and he’ll surely he using his growing treasure chest of assets for help, both now and in the future.

Eagles Were Ready for the Inevitable

The only people that should be surprised by this trade are those that were sleeping under a rock over the last sixth months or so. It was clear that Brown was unhappy in Philadelphia last season and that the Eagles essentially told him to stay quiet so that they could do what’s best for both sides in the offseason. All signs pointed to the inevitable departure of Brown and now he’s reportedly heading to New England.

Yet Roseman clearly knew that this was coming and prepared adequately for Brown’s departure this offseason. Philadelphia has already made four notable additions at wide receiver in Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore. The Eagles will now call on sixth-year wide receiver DeVonta Smith to be WR1 in Philadelphia, who appears ready to embrace his new status in the City of Brotherly Love.

Smith has been in attendance during voluntary OTAs and other offseason activities, which hasn’t always been the case during his time in Philadelphia. The 27-year-old wide receiver also appears to have put on some added weight, which could be a sign that he’s ready to shoulder a bigger workload in 2026 and beyond. Smith was always second in line in targets behind Brown over the last four seasons but now he’ll have a chance to claim the top spot.

The Eagles also hired first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion this offseason. During his time with the Green Bay Packers, the team spread the ball around a ton with six pass catchers recording 40 or more targets. Mannion is expected to introduce a more widespread passing attack that isn’t as reliant on one-on-one matchups and contested catch situations. Therefore, Brown’s departure could serve as addition by subtraction given the newfound depth in Philadelphia’s wide receiver room.

What’s Next for the Eagles?

It’ll surely be interesting to see what happens next in Philadelphia. Roseman has added a massive trade chip to his treasure chest of assets in a 2028 first-round pick. The Eagles have been linked to several top edge rushers in recent months, including Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby. Although Garrett is now reportedly heading to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster deal. Philadelphia could simply hold onto their newest asset, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Roseman quickly dangle it in trade talks.

The Eagles now have two open roster spots following the departure of Brown and Brandon Graham’s contract also terminating today. My guess is that Graham will eventually sign a one-year deal to return to Philadelphia. While Roseman could opt to just add a low-cost, developmental player to fill the team’s final open roster spot, I’ve learned to never say never with the Eagles in recent years.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio seems confident with the team’s current situation at safety, yet there are several intriguing free agents available and plenty of trade options. Roseman didn’t trade for C.J. Gardner-Johnson until late August in 2022 and we could always see Philadelphia’s general manager make a move at the position closer to the start of the regular season. I’ll continue to monitor the safety situation moving forward this offseason.

While some may be disappointed in Philadelphia’s return for Brown, I actually think that it’s a solid haul. The Eagles weren’t exactly dealing from a point of leverage given Brown’s well-documented frustrations and desire to play elsewhere. If anything, Roseman should be commended for being able to land a first-round pick for a soon-to-be 29-year-old wide receiver that is coming off of a down year and reportedly has medical concerns about his knee.

The Eagles initially traded a first-round pick and a third-round pick for Brown in 2022. They were able to have Brown for likely the best four year stretch of his NFL career and maximized that window by going to the Super Bowl twice and winning it all once. It’s safe to say that the initial trade worked out well for Philadelphia and we could be saying the same thing about this deal in a couple of years. After all, it’s become incredibly hard to doubt Roseman and the streak of success that he’s been on over the last decade or so.