There is a world in which the Philadelphia Eagles come to regret trading superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, if that trade actually happens, and there is also a world where regret is the least hurtful option.
There is another world in which the Eagles get to experience a feeling much more profound than regret — something more along the lines of soul-crushing heartbreak as they watch Brown and 2025 NFL MVP runner-up and 3rd year quarterback Drake Maye set NFL records in their 1st season together.
Or, at least, that’s what the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen thinks might happen if Brown and Drake are allowed to team up in 2026, which almost certainly only happens after June 1 due to salary cap concerns for the Eagles.
“(Brown) is going to lead the league in touchdowns this year,” Eisen said on Monday. “I don’t think that’s an overreaction at all. If this happens, this does remind me of something … (Brown) is the Randy Moss of the equation. He’s a beast of a physical receiver. He can go outside the numbers and win 50-50 balls and give the quarterback a big, fat, deep target who can also go over the middle and be a massive matchup problem … 23 touchdowns set the (NFL) record (in 2007) … I don’t want to disrespect Randy Moss, who is a 1st ballot Hall of Famer for a reason. But if you’re telling me A.J. Brown could catch 15 touchdowns next year, that wouldn’t shock me at all. I just think he’s a perfect fit.”
Randy Moss Set NFL Records With Patriots in 2007
Eisen is referring to the Patriots’ incredible 2007 season, in which he set the NFL single-season record with 23 touchdown receptions after the Patriots traded a 4th round pick to the Oakland Raiders for Moss in April 2007.
On the other side of that connection was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who set the NFL record with 50 touchdown passes as the duo led New England to the 1st 16-0 regular season in NFL history — a run that would end with a Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.
“I think Drake Maye’s deep ball is special and I think A.J. Brown is a special 50-50 wide receiver,” Eisen said. “(Brown) will show up with a chip on his shoulder. He will show up happy. He will show up as the A.J. Brown without his book to read on the sidelines.”
Schefter: Trade to Patriots Considered ‘Likely’
While Eisen’s pie-in-the-sky prediction for Brown seems like a pretty incredible outcome for the Patriots, it’s worth pointing out that he has a career-high of just 11 touchdown receptions, and he’s done it twice — in 2020 with the Tennessee Titans and in 2022 in his 1st season with the Eagles.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that the 2 sides seem destined to deal Brown in the near future.
“The Eagles remain open to trading AJ Brown, the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring the star receiver, and conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1, likely culminating in a deal, per league sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account. “As one source said about the Patriots’ pursuit of Brown, they’ll ‘definitely be engaging then.’ A trade to New England is now considered likely.”
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