How Eagles ‘Did Right By A.J. Brown’ By Trading Him To Patriots originally appeared on NESN.
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The Philadelphia Eagles needed to trade A.J. Brown this offseason, but at least they gave him a choice of where he wanted to go.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Brown gave the Eagles four preferred trade destinations, and the New England Patriots were one of them.
So were the Los Angeles Rams, who nearly acquired Brown earlier this offseason. Those negotiations fell through, however, opening the door for Brown to become a Patriot.
From @NFLNetwork: The #Eagles did right by AJ Brown, sending him to one of his four preferred destinations. The #Patriots was where he wanted to go. pic.twitter.com/7yKKuOyWd9
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 2, 2026
“The Philadelphia Eagles certainly did right by A.J. Brown to at least give them some preferred destinations,” Rapoport said on Tuesday’s episode of “Good Morning Football.”
“That is why the Patriots were among his top targets,” Rapoport continued. “The relationship with Mike Vrabel, the familiarity there, and also having an excellent, excellent quarterback in Drake Maye, all made the Patriots a place that A.J. Brown wanted to be.”
With Maye and Vrabel coming off a Super Bowl appearance together and the Patriots needing a WR1 after cutting Stefon Diggs, New England was a perfect fit for Brown as he pursues a second Super Bowl ring.
Fortunately, the Patriots and Eagles were able to hammer out a deal that worked for both sides, with New England sending a 2028 first-round draft pick and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick to Philadelphia.
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