A.J. Brown, Eagles wide receiver, as Patriots trade cost may drop after Jaylen Waddle deal
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A.J. Brown looks on as a new trade development could lower what the Patriots would need to give up following the Jaylen Waddle deal.
A new development in the trade market could directly impact what the Patriots would have to give up for A.J. Brown, as fallout from the Jaylen Waddle deal appears to be reshaping the asking price for top wide receivers across the league. With teams recalibrating value following the blockbuster move, New England’s pursuit of the Eagles star may now come at a lower cost than previously expected.
The shift could quickly change the Patriots’ leverage — and potentially accelerate a deal for Brown.
What changed — and why it matters now — comes down to how teams are valuing wide receivers.
The Miami Dolphins on Tuesday traded Waddle, their first-round draft pick, No. 6 overall, in 2021. They sent Waddle to the Denver Broncos along with a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft — getting back the Broncos’ first-round pick, which comes at No. 30 overall. The Broncos also included a third-round pick and fourth-round pick, both in 2026.
The Waddle price tag would appear to cause a significant change in what the Philadelphia Eagles can get for Brown, whom they likely need to trade to clear cap space after they signed veteran tight end to a one-year contract extension.
Why Has the Eagles Expected Price for Brown Changed?
The key difference — and what may drive Brown’s price down — is how teams now value production relative to contract cost.
The Patriots hold the No. 31 overall pick in the first round of this year’s draft, just below Denver’s slot. As recently as early March, the Eagles’ asking price for Brown was believed to be a first-round pick plus a second-rounder, according to NFL insider Mike Garafolo.
But according to another analyst, Locked on Patriots podcast host Nick Cattles, the comparison between Waddle and Brown points to a lower trade price for the Patriots to meet.
“The Waddle trade should have a significant impact on the A.J. Brown market,” Cattles wrote, outlining the major points of comparison between the two elite wide receivers.
Jaylen Waddle: 27 (turns 28 in November); A.J. Brown: 28 (turns 29 in June)
Waddle 2026–27 cap hit: about $32 million (potential out in 2028); Brown 2026–27 cap hit: about $46 million (potential out in 2027)
Waddle 2025 stats: 64 receptions, 910 yards, 6 TDs; Brown 2025 stats: 78 receptions, 1,003 yards, 7 TDs
Games missed over last three seasons: Waddle 6; Brown 6
In addition, Cattles noted, “Brown is older. Brown has caused more drama. Brown’s health situation is more serious with the reported knee issue. And Brown’s market is likely not as hot as Waddle’s.”
In other words, Brown’s market would be notably softer than Waddle’s.
What Would the Patriots Now Be Expected to Give Up for Brown?
Cattles then noted that if the Dolphins required the No. 30 pick plus a third- and fourth-rounder, the Eagles will not be able to ask for more than that, and likely less.
“Denver sitting at No. 30 REALLY makes this pretty easy,” the Locked on Patriots analyst wrote Tuesday. “I’d think the Pats sending No. 31 and one of their fourth-round picks would get it done.”
The Eagles have given strong indications that they intend to trade Brown, Cattles stated, though the trade is likely to be put on hold until June 1 when, due to contract provisions, the Eagles would take a lower cap hit for dealing the three-time Pro Bowler than they would if the trade happened now.
The Eagles’ signing of Goedert to an extension, plus their free-agent acquisition Tuesday of former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, are exactly “what Philly would do if they were going to move” A.J. Brown, Cattles wrote.
The deal could still fall apart, the analyst noted, but nothing is likely to be certain until the calendar turns to June.