Why what Eagles want from Patriots for A.J. Brown may have changed after NFL Draft

Before the new league year opened in March, reports indicated that Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wanted a first-round draft pick, a second-round choice and a player in return for wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Of course, that was said long before the Eagles traded up to take USC wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 20th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. It now appears that the New England Patriots should eventually be able to get Brown at a lower price than some thought earlier this year. 

Eagles' asking price for A.J. Brown has "probably" gone down?

"It sure seems like the Pats have leverage as perhaps the only team willing to negotiate with the Eagles," Patriots reporter Chad Graff of The Athletic wrote for an article published on Thursday. "Because of that, the Eagles’ starting asking price of a first-round pick plus another pick or player has probably gone down. The two most likely packages for Brown seem to be a 2028 first-round pick or a 2027 second-round pick plus a player such as wide receiver Kayshon Boutte."

Philadelphia's salary-cap situation is preventing the club from officially completing a trade of Brown before June 1. However, he seems keen on reuniting with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, and history shows teams often shy away from giving up draft assets for talents who want to play elsewhere. 

Vrabel was Brown's head coach with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through the 2021 season. There's currently no indication that Vrabel is going to step down from his role amid the controversy involving longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini, so it continues to seem likely that Brown will be a New England player before training camp practices get underway in July.

Why Eagles may have to accept a lesser offer from the Patriots for A.J. Brown

"No one else is competing with the Patriots for Brown to drive up the price," Graff added. "...There’s benefit to packaging Boutte with a second-round pick since Boutte’s role would be diminished with Brown on the roster anyway, and it would allow [the Patriots] to land a top-end wide receiver without giving up a first-round pick."

Both the Eagles and Brown seem to want a divorce this offseason, so much so that Philadelphia allegedly has been operating as if a breakup is inevitable. While things often change quickly in the NFL, Roseman may have to accept reality regarding what he will and won't get back from the Patriots for Brown.