Why it's way too soon for Patriots to regret A.J. Brown trade with Eagles image
The New England Patriots beat the New York Jets in Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season, reaching a 4-2 record and sitting right behind the 5-1 Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.
But there's one thing that is lingering over the Patriots, and it's not any injury issues. It's the poor play of A.J. Brown in his first game back from injured reserve. Against the Jets, he dropped four passes and botched the onside kick recovery.
It was a bad day for Brown, and it wouldn't be a surprise if some Patriots fans, or even those within the team, begin to feel a little regret about the trade. However, as ESPN's Dan Graziano highlighted, it's way too soon to have regret about the Brown trade, even after this brutal performance.
Why Patriots should not regret A.J. Brown trade despite brutal Week 6 performance
"The Patriots are going to regret the A.J. Brown trade," Graziano writes. "Verdict: Overreaction."
While it's tempting to panic about the Brown trade following this brutal Week 6 performance, it was his first game back with the offense, after his first since Week 1.
Brown has only played one and a half games for the Patriots so far after being with the Philadelphia Eagles for a long time. It's very early in his Patriots tenure, and it's way too soon to make any declarations about his play.
Drop issues are worrying, but that's something Brown can fix. It's not like he's running lazy routes or acting toxic with the team.
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He's made a few bad plays, but Drake Maye and the Patriots still went back to him with 10 targets in this game, and are clearly trusting the veteran receiver.
Should the Patriots already start to feel regret about this trade? Absolutely not. It's been less than two games with Brown; it's way too soon to make any judgment about the trade.
If Brown continues to struggle this season, and then the Patriots collapse in 2027, resulting in the pick they gave Philadelphia turning into a very high selection, then they'd have reason to regret the trade.
But, as of now, it's way too soon for the Patriots or their fans to feel any sense of regret about this trade. Give it some time, and Brown should prove to be a superstar for New England like he was with the Eagles.
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