Perfect trade Patriots must offer Eagles for A.J. Brown
A.J. Brown’s recent suspicious social media activity, along with DeVonta Smith’s contract extension, leaves to question if he has a future with the Philadelphia Eagles. If he doesn’t, the New England Patriots should make a heavy pursuit to trade for the star receiver.
The Patriots have actually already inquired the Eagles about a trade for Brown, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. That’s obviously a good development, although Breer noted that the Eagles haven’t been willing to listen to offers for Brown at this point.
Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a push to get Brown. So, let’s play general manager for the Patriots and try to craft an offer for Brown.
What the Patriots should offer the Eagles in possible trade for A.J. Brown
Let’s take a look at some recent trades involving star receivers to help craft a strong offer to land Brown. In 2022, the Las Vegas Raiders traded a first-round pick and a second-round pick to acquire Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. Later that offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs acquired a first-round pick, a second-round pick, two fourth-round picks, and a sixth-round pick for Tyreek Hill. Just a few weeks later, the Eagles acquired A.J. Brown for a first-round pick and a third-round pick.
After no star receivers were on the move last offseason, we’ve already seen a pair get moved this offseason. The Chicago Bears got Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers for a fourth-round pick while the Buffalo Bills got a 2025 second-round pick for Stefon Diggs, but also had to give up a pair of late-round picks (a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick).
While the price for a star receiver seemingly went down this offseason, acquiring Brown certainly won’t be as cheap as it was for the Bears to get Allen or for the Texans to land Diggs. Both receivers are 30 or older, with the former dealing with a handful of injuries over his career and the latter struggling in the second half of last season. Brown has age and health on his side as he’ll only turn 27 in June and has only missed six games in the first five years of his career.
Brown’s also coming off the two most productive seasons of his career and has outproduced Allen and Diggs, recording at least 1,400 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons in Philadelphia. So, his price tag is going to be closer to what it cost teams to acquire a star receiver in 2022 than it has been this offseason, especially considering that the Eagles gave up a first-round pick and a third-round pick to bring in Brown in the first place.
But all of the first-round picks that were moved for a star receiver in the 2022 offseason were in the middle of the round or later. The Patriots don’t have that luxury as they hold the No. 3 overall pick, which would be a price too steep to pay. They could offer the No. 34 overall pick for Brown, giving up their earlier second-round selection, but that probably wouldn’t be enough, either.
So, the Patriots are kind of stuck in no man’s land with trying to offer a pick in this year’s draft for Brown. They can get creative though and try to offer multiple over multiple years or offer a conditional pick in the future based off the team’s success and Brown’s impact in New England.
Considering their title contention window, the Eagles will likely want to obtain a pick in the first few rounds of this year’s draft. Let’s give them that and offer the Eagles the Patriots’ third-round pick (No. 68 overall) in this year’s draft.
Beyond that, the Patriots should make it possible for the Eagles to get a first-round pick out of them next season. So, let’s include a conditional 2025 second-round pick for Brown, which turns into a first-round pick if the Patriots make the playoffs in 2024. To sweeten the pot, let’s also give the Eagles a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Such a trade would be more in line with what star receivers have been traded for over the last few years, essentially guaranteeing the Eagles would get a pick in the 19-50 range in 2025 on top of getting a top 70 pick in this year’s draft. The trade would give the Eagles possible ammunition to either move up in this year’s draft as well or take advantage of the depth in this year’s draft class, giving them a fourth in the top 70 of this year’s draft.
As for the Patriots, it would give them some protection if they aren’t good again next season. More importantly, they’d finally have that star receiver they’ve been searching for a long time.
The offer: 2024 third-round pick, conditional 2025 second-round pick (turns to first-round pick if Patriots reach the playoffs in 2024), and a 2025 fourth-round pick for A.J. Brown.