A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
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A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on September 21, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills pulled off one big wide receiver trade this offseason, and now appear to be out of the running for another — who could instead be headed to a division rival.
Before the Bills pulled off a blockbuster trade to land DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears, they were seen as a top frontrunner for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown. While the Eagles could still deal their $96 million receiver, the only one left in the running appears to be the team that just unseated the Bills as five-time AFC East champions.
Bills Out of the Running for A.J. Brown
In an appearance on UNSPORTSMANLIKE this week, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the New England Patriots are far and away the frontrunner to land Brown.
“How many logical landing spots are there for AJ Brown? The Patriots are by far the most likely landing spot, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to get done,” the report noted.
Schefter added that Brown likely wouldn’t be traded before June 1, but the Bills are no longer seen as contenders. SI.com’s Albert Breer came to the same conclusion, reporting last week that the Eagles are in no hurry to trade Brown, but the Patriots would be the most likely destination if they did.
“The reality is the Eagles needed breathing room, Goedert could give them that on a new deal, and Philly really wanted to keep him separate from all that,” Breer wrote. “So they work something out, and it opens some options. Trading Brown is one, but trading Brown would mean replacing him, too. And moving him after June 1 would give Philly the chance to spread the cap damage out, even if that’s more kicking the can down the proverbial road.”
The Bills just watched the Patriots knock them off the AFC East pedestal, winning the division for the first time since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020. If the Patriots were to land Brown, it could give the Bills an even more difficult task in their attempt to win the division back.
Bills, Patriots Already Making Changes
The Bills have made some changes to their wide receiving corps beyond the addition of Moore, cutting ties with veteran Curtis Samuel in a cap-saving move. The Bills could have more space to fill in the wide receiver room after the versatile Tyrell Shavers suffered a torn ACL in the team’s divisional-round playoff win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bills also face questions around the future of receiver Keon Coleman, who struggled with inconsistency and disciplinary issues in 2025. The team did bring back veteran Mecole Hardman, who could compete for a larger role after joining the team late last season, and could still bring back Brandin Cooks.
The Patriots have undergone some changes of their own, cutting ties with former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs in the weeks after the team lost the Super Bowl. Diggs had a bounce-back season with the Patriots, topping 1,000 yards despite coming back from a knee injury that cut short his 2024 season with the Houston Texans.