Blockbuster trade proposal has Patriots adding $96 million star receiver

Bryce Lazenby

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Blockbuster trade proposal has Patriots adding $96 million star receiver image

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The New England Patriots have been one of the best stories of the 2025 season so far. 

After finishing with a 4-13 record last year, the team brought in Mike Vrabel to be the new head coach and now sits at 6-2 heading into Week 9. Young quarterback Drake Maye has been playing at an elite level, and is even getting some early MVP buzz. 

With the team sitting in first place in the AFC East, and the trade deadline just days away, many are wondering if the team will make a bold move. The team could use some more help at wide receiver and one the edge, and seemingly has enough ammo to swing a deal. 

Jacob Infante of PFSN recently put together a list of five bold predictions for the deadline. One of the predictions is that the Patriots will trade for star wide receiver A.J. Brown. 

Brown is not having his best season- in fact, the veteran is on pace to have his worst season as a pro. Brown has 29 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns so far in 2025. However, there's no denying the veteran has been among the league's best in prior seasons. 

Regarding a potential deal, Infante offered the following: 

Despite the Philadelphia Eagles’ success so far in 2025, A.J. Brown has been highly vocal about his displeasure with the team. With an average of 56.4 receiving yards per game, he’s on pace to finish with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2021. The Eagles are in win-now mode, but dealing Brown before the NFL trade deadline could make sense at the right price.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculated that the New England Patriots would be a logical landing spot. Drake Maye could use one more weapon to help them push towards the top of the AFC, and head coach Mike Vrabel used to coach Brown in Tennessee.

As Infante mentioned, Brown hasn't been shy about bein unhappy with his role on the Eagles this year. It's entirely possible the team could prefer to get assets back for the veteran as opposed to letting his unhappiness fester. 

The Patriots make sense as a landing spot for multiple reasons. Brown played for Vrabel for three seasons in Tennessee, so there's a familiarity there. Additionally, Maye is a young quarterback who would benefit from all the experienced veterans he can get. 

The Patriots brought in Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins this offseason, but there is still plenty of room for a receiver like Brown. Diggs leads the team with 42 catches and no other wide receiver on the team has more than 23 so far. 

If the Eagles are going to get rid of Brown, they will likely try to get a first-round pick. That may be hard to swing, though, given the veteran's struggles in 2025 and his expensive contract. Brown carries a cap hit of at least $22 million in each of the next four seasons. 

 

 

 

 

Editorial Team