A.J. Brown looks on from the sidelines during an Eagles game.
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A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during a game.
After their one-sided, 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60, one thing was extremely clear when it comes to the New England Patriots‘ future — Drake Maye needs help. The 23-year-old second-year quarterback finished a close second in the NFL’s MVP voting in the regular season, but struggled in the playoffs — especially in the Super Bowl.
The reasons for Maye’s struggles are complex, but one factor that stands out is the lack of a true No. 1 wide receiver. Four-time Pro Bowl 11-year veteran Stefon Diggs led the team with 1,013 yards, becoming the first New England wideout to top 1,000 yards since Julian Edelman in 2019.
But Diggs served primarily as a slot receiver and Maye, who led the NFL in yards per completion at 8.9 and was second in completions of 20 yards or more with 67, has a clear preference for the deep ball.
A new trade proposal published Friday by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report would solve the Patriots’ problem by providing Maye with a three-time Pro Bowler who has finished with fewer than 1,000 yards only once in his eight-year career.
Trade Proposal Brings A.J. Brown to New England
A.J. Brown, who in four seasons since being traded to the Eagles has caught 367 passes for 5,034 yards, reportedly “asked for a trade numerous times this past season,” according to Bleeding Green Nation, which added that the 28-year-old “has been disgruntled all season.”
But Brown may feel more comfortable with a deep ball quarterback such as Maye, rather than with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who threw for at least 20 yards successfully just 40 times. A simple change of scenery might benefit Brown as well.
Drafted in the second round in 2019 by the Tennessee Titans, Brown was one of the first draft picks made under coach Mike Vrabel, who started the head coaching job there earlier in the same year.
Brown then played his first three seasons under Vrabel — who just completed his first season as Patriots coach by taking the team to their first Super Bowl in seven years.
The Price For Brown May Be Steep
“On the heels of a Super Bowl loss, the New England Patriots can make a concerted effort to help Drake Maye, who struggled through their playoff run. In four postseason outings, he threw for six touchdowns and four interceptions with a 58.3 percent completion rate, while taking 21 sacks. He ran for 178 yards and a touchdown,” wrote Moton, in setting up his trade proposal.
“If the Patriots acquire Brown, Diggs can slide into the No. 2 spot, and Maye would have a strong receiver duo that can attack all areas of the field,” the Bleacher Report analyst continued.
So what would it take to bring the “disgruntled” star receiver to New England?
The first piece of the package, Moton believes, would be the Patriots’ third-round draft pick this year. That is currently slated to be the 95th pick overall.
8-Year Veteran Defender Also Goes
The second piece would be eight-year veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III, who just completed the first season of a three-year, $54 million contract with the Patriots.
“Davis would fill a void in the Eagles’ secondary after they rotated players at the No. 2 cornerback spot this past season,” Moton wrote. “In his first year with the Patriots, he logged 10 pass breakups while allowing a 90.7 passer rating (out of a possible 158.3) in coverage.”