A.J. Brown trade: What Patriots are getting in wide receiver and how he'll help Drake Maye

In a move that's seemingly been months in the making, A.J. Brown is headed to the Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, per CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.

Even though it was a long-expected move, it's a big one. Massive, even. Given his talent, production and landing spot, this is as big as any wide receiver trade since the Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs in 2022.

Brown is a three-time All-Pro (second team) and a Super Bowl champion. Since joining the Eagles in 2022, he ranks fifth in receiving yards, and his yards-per-reception mark is higher than those of the four players ahead of him -- Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb and Amon-Ra St. Brown -- as well as the two players behind him, Hill and Davante Adams. Brown's combination of volume and explosiveness is truly impressive.

That's one reason the Patriots were willing to move significant draft capital for him, even with Brown turning 29 at the end of this month. He's the oldest wide receiver to fetch a first-round pick since Adams went to the Raiders in 2022.

All the prior accolades and eye-popping stats are nice, but the Patriots are adding Brown for what he can do moving forward, starting right now. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance and with MVP runner-up Drake Maye still on his rookie deal, New England is pressing the gas to win right now, and this is a crucial part of that.

A.J. Brown's big-play ability fits Drake Maye's approach

Brown has been among the NFL's premier deep threats over the past four years. His 33 receptions on throws 25-plus yards downfield are tied with George Pickens for the most in the NFL over that span. Brown combines big-time speed, size and strength with contested-catch ability. Plus, with his ability to win on quicker, shorter routes -- more on that in a bit -- he can get defenders to bite before beating them over the top, as he did to clinch a win over the Vikings last season.

HUGE 3rd down conversion to A.J. Brown PHIvsMIN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Z02DBJ8xwx

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

And when he does win deep, he rarely misses a chance to make defenses pay. Over the past four years, he has had just one regular-season drop on those throws. Yes, he had a bad one in the playoffs against the 49ers last year -- a fitting final piece of his frustrating 2025 season -- but, in general, if the ball is catchable, he cashes in.

Now, is Brown's explosiveness the same as it was in 2022 and 2023, when he topped 1,400 receiving yards in both seasons? Perhaps not. There are injury and age concerns. But it's not hard to connect Brown's downfield numbers to Maye's downfield acumen.

In 2025, Maye had the NFL's fifth-highest deep-throw rate and the league's second-highest explosive-play rate and air-yards-per-attempt rate. His massive leap as a downfield passer fueled his overall improvement.

Completions

10

35<<

Completion percentage

30%

50%<<

Off-target rate

39%

20%<<

>> All top-three in NFL

It's not hard to envision Maye-to-Brown being one of the top big-play-producing combinations in the NFL if things go to plan. Maye is not only outstanding from the pocket but also when extending plays. Brown can thrive in this manner as a player who also had to get creative when Jalen Hurts improvised.

HURTS TO BROWN ON 4TH DOWN. PHIvsMIN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/BzAufHyrX8

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

Maye's top downfield threat in 2025 was Kayshon Boutte, whose 16.7 yards per reception led the team and whose six touchdown catches were second-most behind only Hunter Henry. Boutte made some spectacular grabs, including this one in the playoffs, and seeing Brown make plays similar to the ones Boutte made wouldn't be a surprise.

THIS IS A DIME 😳🪙@DrakeMaye2 | @KayshonBoutte1 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/dv7WK0ZKbT

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 18, 2026

If Brown were only a downfield threat, that'd be one thing. But he is much more.

A.J. Brown in the quick passing game

If the first image that comes to mind regarding Brown is his downfield skills, the second should be what he does in the quick game. The two go hand-in-hand. Because opponents have to respect Brown's verticality -- and also because Brown is just really good -- he wins quickly, too.

Even in his "down" 2025, Brown finished with 17 catches on slant routes, tied for second-most in the NFL. His 5.4 yards per route run on slants ranked fourth. The film shows a guy who can make cornerbacks look silly. Even when he doesn't, he presents a big, physical target able to shield off tight coverage.

A.J. Brown winning on slants: pic.twitter.com/1klyqJWK21

— Zach Pereles (@zach_pereles) May 29, 2026

As much fun as the big plays in the first two clips are, it's the final two -- simple chain movers -- that showcase Brown's all-around value. In the final clip, he converts a second-and-7 against Patrick Surtain II, one of the game's very best. It's nothing special until you realize how few wide receivers do this consistently and make it look easy.

Even if we look at just the last two years, Brown's ability in the short and intermediate areas stand out. He can produce all over the field, both vertically and horizontally.

Slants

37

1st

382

2nd

Hitches

37

17th

420

6th

Ins

15

T-8th

247

T-9th

Maye had the NFL's second-highest expected points added per dropback when targeting slant routes in 2025.

How A.J. Brown fits the Patriots' personnel

With Brown in tow, the Patriots have added significant size to their receiving corps. Brown is 6'1" and 226 pounds, and Romeo Doubs is 6'2" and 204 pounds. New England still has Mack Hollins (6'4" and 221 pounds) as well; Boutte and Kyle Williams are 5-foot-11 and DeMario Douglas is 5-8. There's a well-versed skill set here.

Brown has lined up primarily at either outside wide receiver spot, though the Patriots getting him into the slot more could be helpful; he was in the slot for 27% of his snaps in his excellent 2022 and 2023 before that number fell in 2024 and dropped to a minuscule 11% last year. Still, this will be the Patriots' most major departure from last year, when the team's top target, Stefon Diggs, played 52% of his snaps in the slot and 48% of his snaps out wide.

Doubs has primarily been an outside wide receiver with just a few snaps per game in the slot. Douglas would appear to be the primary slot guy here, though New England also used Hollins as a power slot (and a good blocker) there at times.

The Patriots ranked just 24th in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers) usage rate last year, but with Brown and Doubs in the mix, the Patriots could significantly increase that rate.

The big question: Does A.J. Brown still have it?

Brown had his lowest yards per reception and yards per route run of his career in 2025. His expected points added per target was also a career low, as was his YAC per reception. He missed a game with a hamstring injury and reportedly dealt with hamstring and knee issues for the second straight year. In 2024, he missed three games due to injury. His average separation was down from its peak. That doesn't exactly paint an inspiring picture for a player who is about to turn 29.

And yet Brown still had 25 explosive catches (16+ yards), tied for 11th in the NFL, even in a limited passing offense. His 20.7% explosive rate was only slightly below his career rate of 21.4%.

His career-low 3.4 YAC per catch is concerning until you realize he was only expected to record 2.4 YAC per catch, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Though he wasn't the YAC terror he was in his first three years in Philadelphia, he was still easily on the positive side.

Brown didn't produce as many big plays down the field the past two years as he did his first two years in Philadelphia, but there were multiple opportunities where either he and Hurts weren't on the same page or the connection was just a few inches off.

That career-low 2.09 yards per route? It was still 13th out of 76 wide receivers who ran at least 300 routes, ahead of Jefferson, Adams and even his own teammate, DeVonta Smith. And the separation issue? Though it's not great, it's also never been the strength of his game. Brown is a big-time ball winner who can also win quickly. The Patriots haven't had that combination for Maye until now.

ESPN's receiver scores -- a combination of "open," "catch," and "YAC" -- had Brown sixth in 2025. He was first in 2022 and 2024 and second in 2023, but let's not overcomplicate it: Sixth is still excellent.

Brown's frustration boiled over multiple times in 2025. The passing offense was somehow both simple and a mess, or, as Brown put it, a "shit show." Plus, the Patriots figure to actually throw the ball more than the Eagles did; New England was ninth in pass rate over expected last year; Philadelphia was 28th.

Brown likely won't hit his monster 2022 and 2023 numbers. But he should be a major help for Maye in all areas of the field, especially deep. He is still a bona fide No. 1 receiver who can break games open. His four 100-yard, one-touchdown games last year, in an offensive environment not conducive to big receiving numbers, were tied for second-most in the NFL.

Perhaps it doesn't work out. Injuries and age can accrue quickly. But Brown is soon-to-be 29, not soon-to-be 32. He has played in at least 13 games every season. The Eagles hit a home run when they acquired him from Tennessee, and now the Patriots are hoping to do the same. Deployed correctly and paired with an aggressive, accurate quarterback on the rise, Brown can lift yet another offense with championship aspirations.