The New England Patriots have been active this offseason, and the team’s biggest move may still be waiting to happen.
New England signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million deal to give Drake Maye another weapon. Yet, the Patriots have also been linked to trading for Philadelphia Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown, and NFL execs told The Athletic’s Mike Sando that they believe New England will acquire him in June.
“Execs expect the Patriots to acquire receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia in June, once the salary-cap implications become more tenable for the Eagles,” Sando wrote in an article published on Thursday. “They disagree over what Romeo Doubs adds at the position on a deal worth $17 million per year, which ranks 27th among receivers.”
As Sando noted, some execs liked the Doubs contract, but others felt like it was an overpay. Yet, the execs would like it more if the Patriots were able to acquire Brown.
“I was not high on Doubs,” a third exec said, citing the receiver’s inconsistent concentration. “They did not improve on the field from (Stefon) Diggs. Maybe they did off the field from a headache standpoint. It seems just a matter of waiting until June 1 passes for Philly to trade A.J. Brown, who in my opinion is a declining player each of the last three seasons.”
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler and recorded 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and 7 touchdowns as it was fourth-straight year with 1,000+ yards receiving.
If the Patriots are able to trade for Brown, it would only further bolster their offense and help New England get back to the Super Bowl.
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