Julian Edelman Hints At Patriots, A.J. Brown Trade

Julian Edelman is one of the greatest players in New England Patriots history, and the former Super Bowl MVP could be continuing to help his former team from the sidelines. Everyone in the NFL world knows the New England Patriots are trying to trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, but the two sides appear to be at a standstill. Brown currently carries a $23.3 million cap hit for the Eagles, but that number skyrockets to $43.45 million if the team trades him before June 1st.

If they wait until after June 1st, however, Philadelphia can spread Brown’s dead money over two seasons and only take a  $16.3 million cap hit. The downside here is that the 2026 NFL Draft occurs in April, so the Eagles wouldn’t get any type of immediate value for the wideout’s services. Ultimately, something has to give between now and the start of the regular season, and Edelman’s latest tweet suggests a deal is close to being finalized.

One month ago, Edelman hosted Brown on the Dudes on Dudes podcast. In it, Edelman said, “We are all Patriots,” and Brown winked at the camera. Yesterday, the three-time Super Bowl champion tweeted a gif of that moment, which seems to suggest an A.J. Brown trade could be right around the corner.

Julian Edelman Hints At A.J. Brown Trade In Latest Tweet

A.J. Brown grew up a Patriots fan, so it’s only fitting that the team brings him in to help them chase a title. New England is well ahead of schedule in their rebuild, as the team made the Super Bowl just one year after finishing with a 4-13 record. Quarterback Drake Maye looks like one of the league’s next great quarterbacks, head coach Mike Vrabel bought stability to the organization, and the defense has the talent to be one of the league’s best units next year.

The biggest question for this team is the offensive supporting cast. New England spent big on Romeo Doubs in free agency but lost Stefon Diggs after deciding his play didn’t justify his salary. Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas are fine homegrown players, but this team needs a legitimate WR1 to lead this offense. A.J. Brown may not be the player he once was, but the former second-round pick would still be the best receiver on this offense. He and Maye could be lethal together, and Vrabel should know how to handle Brown’s personality after spending years together in Tennessee.