NFL rumors: Patriots still expected to pull off A.J. Brown trade after divisive Romeo Doubs signing

For head coach Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots, the stakes are high for the 2026 season. And perhaps that’s why he’s keeping hope alive for having receiver AJ Brown to pair with quarterback Drake Maye. And the Patriots are still expected to pull off the trade for Brown after the divisive Romeo Doubs signing, according to The Athletic.

It comes down to timing.

“Execs expect the Patriots to acquire receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia in June, once the salary-cap implications become more tenable for the Eagles,” Mike Sando wrote. “They disagree over what Romeo Doubs adds at the position on a deal worth $17 million per year, which ranks 27th among receivers.”

What will the Patriots have at the receiver position in 2026?

Perhaps they need to trade for Brown. A receiver room with Doubs as the lead dog doesn’t look very enticing. And Kayshon Boutte is at WR2, followed by Mack Hollins.

It’s not that Doubs doesn’t have value.

“Doubs was my top-rated receiver out there,” one exec said. “He’s a little inconsistent and can handle only so much. So you should play him at only one spot. But I think he’s really talented.”

However, another executive didn’t buy in.

“I was not high on Doubs,” a third exec said, citing the receiver’s inconsistent concentration. “They did not improve on the field from (Stefon) Diggs. Maybe they did off the field from a headache standpoint. It seems just a matter of waiting until June 1 passes for Philly to trade A.J. Brown, who in my opinion, is a declining player each of the last three seasons.”

The Patriots lost out on possible chances to get DJ Moore, who went to Buffalo, or Alec Pierce, who stayed put with the Colts.

If the Patriots are going to be back in the Super Bowl mix this season, they will likely need premium production from at least one of their wide receivers. And there’s nobody on the roster who promises that right now.

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