What Patriots HC Mike Vrabel said about huge update on potential trade for Eagles' A.J. Brown

A report from this past Monday morning indicated that the New England Patriots acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles "is still the likely outcome" for a saga that has hovered over the two clubs since this past winter. 

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked if that update was accurate.

Patriots focusing on 2026 NFL Draft amid A.J. Brown rumors

"No. I mean, I think we are going to continue to try to strengthen our team," Vrabel answered, per Mark Daniels of MassLive. "The first focus is going to be on Thursday night and making sure that we get that right, and then we’ll focus on Friday. Saturday is always an important day, just to continue to build a roster. [Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf] and I will have numerous conversations with different teams. But our first focus is going to be, you know, on the draft."

The 2026 draft gets underway on Thursday night. Vrabel was Brown's head coach when the two were with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Brown didn't report for the start of the Eagles' offseason workout program earlier this week, "as he awaits clarity on his future." 

That future seemingly will involve him and the Eagles breaking up at some point after June 1, when it will be easier for Philadelphia to trade him as it relates to the salary cap. 

Will the A.J. Brown situation impact what the Patriots do during the NFL Draft? 

Understandably, some have wondered if believing that Brown will be on the Patriots roster by the end of July will impact how the club spends high-value draft picks this week. On Tuesday, Vrabel insisted that it won't be the case. 

"We’re going to approach every draft with the same mentality," Vrabel explained. "That’s get the right players in the right spot to be able to draft the best player available that fits who we are, how we want to play, the versatility, the skill set, the ability to grow. There’s also, you know, measurables to this game. There’s measurables to NFL football, there’s height, there’s weight, there’s speed, so there’s a bunch of variables, but in our conversations with other teams are going to be surrounded around doing business on Thursday or Friday or Saturday."

That's all well and good, but Vrabel should expect to hear more Brown-related questions if the Patriots grab a to-be rookie pass-catcher in the draft's first round on Thursday evening.