A.J. Brown increasingly looking odd man out as cut-price Eagles move disputes Howie Roseman claim

Apr 11, 2026 - 16:00

The New England Patriots have been handed a huge boost in their bid to land A.J. Brown.

The Philadelphia Eagles made their latest move on Friday, completing a third receiver deal in the last few weeks – moves that do little to dampen the speculation that Brown is on the move.

The Eagles acquired former Packers WR Wicks on Friday

General Manager Howie Roseman has disputed all offseason that Brown is on the trade block, but on Friday, he struck a deal to acquire wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers.

It was announced shortly after that Wicks will pen a one-year, $12.5 million extension with the Birds.

In exchange, the Packers sent a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to Philadelphia.

In his three seasons in the NFL, Wicks has put up 1,328 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, of which he had 30 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns in the 2025 campaign.

The former fifth-round pick now reunites with Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, with the two having spent the last two seasons together when Mannion was both an offensive assistant and the quarterbacks coach.

Wicks joins Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in arriving at Philly during free agency, joining DeVonta Smith in a packed reciever room.

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Eagles could still look to trade Brown, but only after June 1.

“AJ Brown’s future in Philadelphia remains a topic of conversation, and in the meantime, the Eagles add another WR in Dontayvion Wicks from Green Bay,” Schefter wrote on X.

“The belief remains that, if an AJ Brown trade were to happen, it would likely occur after June 1, when the cap burden would be more manageable for the Eagles.”

Prior to the trade for Wicks, the Eagles had also been linked to potentially drafting Washington wideout Denzel Boston with the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Wicks' arrival in Philadelphia has further amplified A.J. Brown trade rumors — Wicks’ arrival in Philadelphia has further amplified A.J. Brown trade rumors

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) runs after a catch during the Philadelphia Eagles versus Washington Commanders — A.J. Brown’s future with the Eagles is looking more uncertain by the day

Door to the Patriots re-opened

The 2025 season was particularly turbulent for Brown, whose relationship with under-fire quarterback Jalen Hurts was speculated to be particularly fractured.

The disgruntled star has made his frustrations clear with the Eagles organization for quite some time now, from cryptic social media posts, and calling out the team publicly for their performances on the field.

Despite having also criticized the Eagles’ preference for the run-game, Brown recorded his fourth successive 1,000-plus receiving yard season – his sixth in his seven-year pro career – going for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.

The 28-year-old will be a free agent after the 2029 season after penning a three-year, $96 million extension back in 2024 which then made him the highest-paid receiver in the league.

Although the Eagles have made their stance clear on Brown, general manager Howie Roseman hasn’t firmly shut the door on a trade if an offer comes in at the right price.

This has opened the door back up to the Patriots, who had previously expressed their interest in acquiring Brown shortly after their Super Bowl LIX defeat.

he Patriots have been a clear destination to acquire Brown’s services all offseason. — The Patriots, led by HC Mike Vrabel, have been a clear destination to acquire Brown’s services all offseason.

Following the release of Stefon Diggs at the start of the new league year, the Patriots are lacking a true No. 1 wide receiver for MVP runner-up Drake Maye to throw the ball to.

As it pertains to a potential fit in New England, there is previous history with Brown and head coach Mike Vrabel, who was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans when Brown was on the team.

In the three seasons under Vrabel’s coaching in the Music City, the wide receiver notched 2,995 yards for 24 touchdowns from 185 receptions.

Yes, the Patriots also acquired former Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs, but he has never recorded more than 724 yards in a single season.

A receiver who can create separation and be an option for Maye’s deep ball down the field like Brown could be the difference-maker in the Patriots’ pursuit of avenging their 29-13 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

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