As trade rumors have swirled, it's looking more and more like the New England Patriots are the favorites to land wide receiver A.J. Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
It once appeared that the Patriots were going head-to-head with the Los Angeles Rams for Brown's services, but as Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported, Los Angeles has since pulled out and is out of the mix for the Eagles wideout.
During a recent episode of PFT Live, Florio revealed what was behind the Rams no longer pursuing a Brown trade and it has to do with the team being "scared off" by their medical assessment of him.
"[The Rams] got scared off by some of the, as I'm told, preliminary medical research. They decided too much of an investment for a player at this age, general wear and tear," Florio reported.
Florio did not say specifically what the medical concern was, but one can assume it has something to do with Brown's knee.
Brown, who is set to turn 29 in June, has a history of knee issues that aren't going to get any better the older he gets. Brown even admitted in 2025 that he had to get his knee drained twice per week during the Eagles' 2024 Super Bowl run.
"(I was) playing hurt the back half of the season, getting my knee drained twice a week," Brown said on Pardon My Take. "Getting my knee drained before the game, watching the game, go out there, have a good performance, then the following week, the following week, ending with the Super Bowl."
This is obviously troubling for the Patriots, who may have to unload as much as a first- and second-round pick, which is reportedly the Eagles' asking price for him.
Whether or not this will scare the Patriots off remains to be seen, but it is something to be concerned about. On the flip side, such a medical concern could also make Brown cheaper.
As far as when a potential trade could go down, ESPN's Adam Schefter believes if it does, it'll happen after June 1, when the dead-cap hit the Eagles will take on lowers significantly.
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