The most anticlimactic deal in the history of the NFL is complete.
Wide receiver AJ Brown is a New England Patriot.
Multiple sources reported the deal at about 4:20 on Monday. New England is sending a 2028 first round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick to Philadelphia in exchange for Brown.
There are no changes to the contract, which means Brown is due $32 million dollars in each of the next four seasons, with $31 guaranteed. Brown first entered the league in 2019 under Mike Vrabel in Tennessee and has been one of the most consistent, dominant players at his position since then.
Brown is a three-time NFL All-Pro, has surpassed 1,000 yards in six of his seven seasons and has 56 career touchdowns in the regular seasons. In the playoffs, Brown has played in 13 games, catching 44 passes for 623 yards and five touchdowns. He has played in two Super Bowls with one ring.
There’s a few different ways you can look at this deal. We’ll start with the positive ones.
-The Patriots are going all in for Drake Maye. It might be hard to believe, but Maye is going to need to get paid soon. Signing Romeo Doubs, bolstering the offensive line, adding versatile fullback Reggie Gilliam and now, adding AJ Brown shows Maye they’re willing to do what it takes to help him win. If it gets to the point where Maye ever has to make the decision to stay here or look elsewhere, hopefully this effort is taken into consideration.
-New England has usually shied away from deals like this, so it’s truly an organizational philosophy difference. Brown is owed A LOT of money. Paying receivers has never been the Patriots’ MO, but here we are.
-The offense is technically loaded skill wise. I actually think if you stack it up to the 2007 offense, you can make a case that it’s deeper. Now, before anyone freaks out on me, I get they have to do it on the field and ‘super teams’ have floundered before, but Maye, Stevenson, Henderson, Brown, Doubs, Hollins, Douglas, Williams, (for now) Boutte, Hunter Henry and Gilliam is quite a toy box for QB1 to play with.
Now, the downside…
-AJ Brown’s knee problems have been well documented, as have his odd blow ups or the whole reading on the sideline thing. You can make the argument though, that Brown’s injury talk is overblown. He’s played in 16, 14, 13, 17, 17, 13 and 15 games each season.
-Does this mean Christian Gonzalez might not get his deal? Realistically, this shouldn’t hinder any team (we all know the cap isn’t real, just ask the Rams), but you’ve got to wonder if this decision was made with an eye towards having Gonzalez play on his current deal and seeing what happens.
-The Eagles gave up a first round pick and third round pick four years ago when they got Brown. Giving the Eagles a first four years later (and the fifth) seems a bit wild if you think of it in car buying terms. It appears like a ‘sucker buy’ as Philly added miles on him and still ended up recouping what they gave up a few years ago.
All in all, this had to be done though.
New England is now back in its championship window. AJ Brown will not be here for more than two or three years probably unless he absolutely loves it and restructures that contract. Go get ring No. 7 (after coming oh-so-close last year) and cross that bridge when we get to it.
For now, the balls should be flying around Gillette this season and No. 1 (Brown’s new number) will on the receiving end of many of them.
The Patriots should be considered a true favorite in the AFC once again and have their best skill player since Randy Moss or Rob Gronkowski.
It’s unclear if Brown will be at the next open OTA for the media on Wednesday, but we should be getting our first glimpse of him soon.