It’s not like there was much doubt, but the New England Patriots wasted little time deciding where AJ Brown would fall on the depth chart.
The Patriots didn’t wait long to swing the blockbuster for Brown, sending a first- and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after 4 p.m. ET on June 1. In doing so, the Patriots added their most dangerous receiver since perhaps Randy Moss.
New England celebrated the move with a social media post featuring the three-time Pro Bowler with the title “WR1,” a post that simultaneously unveiled his new jersey number.
And while it’s not an official declaration of where he’ll fall on the depth chart when the Patriots open the season in Seattle for Week 1, the addition of Brown does add to the ongoing shakeup for the New England offense.
Patriots Depth Chart Reset: How AJ Brown Trade Impacts WR Room
Here’s the first best guess at how the rest of the New England wide receiver room shakes out after the addition of Brown.
WR1 — AJ Brown
WR2 — Romeo Doubs
WR3 — Kayshon Boutte
WR4 — Mack Hollins
WR5 — Kyle Williams/DeMario Douglas
On paper, that’s a considerable upgrade over the group New England rolled out. For now, it’s essentially removing Stefon Diggs — who did singlehandedly propel the Patriots’ offense to wins down the stretch — and replacing him with two proven veterans in Brown and Doubs.
It kind of goes without saying that Brown’s addition will make a major impact, but had the Patriots not traded for the star wideout, going into the season with Doubs atop the depth chart would have been less than ideal. Moving him — and everyone else — down a slot makes everything look far more enticing for a Patriots offense led by Drake Maye.
Here’s the thing, though: There’s no guarantee this Patriots receiver room looks like this in Week 1. In fact, you could argue another change is more likely with Brown on board, given the continued saga around Boutte. The LSU product wasn’t at the first OTAs session, and he’s looking increasingly expendable with Brown in the mix.
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