Trading two draft picks, including a first-rounder in 2028, for A.J. Brown will look like a bargain if the wide receiver lives up to the lofty comparison made by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who compared his newest weapon to a legendary member of the New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame.
McDaniels won three of his six Super Bowls with the franchise calling plays to help unleash all-world tight end Rob Gronkowski, and the OC sees similarities in Brown’s game.
As McDaniels explained to reporters after Brown’s first practice with the Pats on Tuesday, June 2, There’s a force to the way he plays the game … Maybe the closest thing I’ve seen is Gronk. This is a big guy,” per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Comparing any Patriots pass-catcher to Gronkowski is a bold statement, but McDaniels’ words are the most exciting indicator of the dynamic use plan the team has in store for Brown.
That plan can work because of key underlying numbers from Brown’s final season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Numbers that ease concerns about Brown’s history with head coach Mike Vrabel.
A.J. Brown Ready to Be Another ‘Gronk’
McDaniels routinely took advantage of Gronkowski’s size advantage against most, if not all, covering defenders by moving the monster tight end out wide. This often isolated a big-bodied target against safeties or linebackers in man coverage, an obvious pre-snap win for the Patriots, and a clear route to multiple deep throws and completions.
Replicating this formula with Brown will be easy for McDaniels, even though the receiver isn’t the same size as five-time Pro Bowl force Gronkowski, who bodied defenders in space and dominated off the line of scrimmage. Yet, 6-foot-1, 226-pound Brown is still a physical mismatch among wideouts, one who “has been able to weaponize” vertical routes “at a high rate throughout his NFL career,” according to Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports.
Numbers backup Farrar’s statement, with NFL+ and Next Gen Stats detailing how “Since entering the league in 2019, he’s (Brown) registered 22 deep TDs, 3rd-most in the NFL. NGS: Since 2019, he has 101.7 receiving EPA on deep targets, 4th-highest in the NFL.”
Brown’s ability to win vertically showed up when he split out wide to isolate cornerback Byron Murphy and reel in this 26-yard touchdown catch against the Minnesota Vikings last season.
Compare this score to Gronkowski beating linebacker K.J. Wright outside the numbers to find the end zone against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, and it’s easy to see McDaniels scheming similar opportunities for Brown.
That’s good news for third-year quarterback Drake Maye, because Farrar believes “The vertical stuff is where Brown could really turn Maye into a superstar. Last season on passes of 20 or more air yards, Maye completed 41 of 84 passes for 1,268 yards, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 119.5, which made him one of the NFL’s most efficient and prolific deep passers in the league. Even with all the dysfunction in Philly’s 2025 offense, Brown still caught nine deep passes on 25 targets for 285 yards and four touchdowns. Maye has never had someone with Brown’s physical tools and route understanding.”
That last line perfectly sum up the true value of the Patriots trading for Brown. It’s about replicating an entertaining hallmark from the decorated history of the franchise.
Patriots Recreating ‘Fun’ QB-WR Connection
A star quarterback throwing to a star receiver has defined the Patriots through the decades, according to Steve Buckley of The Athletic. He named a litany of prolific tandems, including Steve Grogan to Stanley Morgan, Jim Plunkett to Randy Vataha and Tom Brady to Randy Moss, but Buckley reserved special praise for a Gronkowski-inspired double act.
Buckley noted how “Gronkowski tops the list on the entertainment-within-the-entertainment meter, considering that 90 of Gronk’s 92 career touchdown receptions were on passes thrown by Brady. Plus, Brady-to-Gronkowski was downright vaudevillian in its beyond-the-game popularity.”
It’s not a stretch to envisage how Maye to Brown can be something similar. Brady and Gronkowski set the bar high, but Brown has the right physical tools to go with the right schemes from McDaniels, to revive an entertaining one-two punch few teams will be able to defend.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Josh McDaniels Compares A.J. Brown to Patriots Hall of Famer appeared first on HEAVY.