The New England Patriots and A.J. Brown have been linked in rumors all offseason, but no deal has happened yet.
Brown's connection to Mike Vrabel, his history of joking about joining the Patriots and the Patriots' need for a receiver have all made Brown a common name in trade rumors. However, the Patriots recently noted that they are still open to making any moves to help their team, but also noted that they have not talked about Brown in a while.
The Eagles reportedly want at least a first-round pick for Brown. The Patriots have been unwilling to meet that demand so far, and insider Greg Bedard revealed on NBC Sports Boston what type of trade value the Patriots think Brown has.
"There's been a lot of speculation (about the Eagles' asking price), a first and a second or a first and a third," Bedard said on NBC Sports Boston. "The Patriots, my understanding is, are around second-round draft pick compensation."
The Patriots signed Romeo Doubs, so adding a receiver is not as pressing a need as it was right before the offseason started. Doubs will go a long way in trying to replace Stefon Diggs, but adding Brown would change the offensive outlook entirely. However, regardless of how good Brown is or could be with the Patriots, the team should not mortgage its future to land him.
First-round picks are important, and after eventually paying Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots will need to get more production out of draft picks since they will not be able to spend so freely in free agency. Having first-round picks in the back pocket will help load the roster with talented players when the free agency spending slows down.
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