A.J. Brown finally had his “best game” as a Patriot Thursday night, and somehow, it was still way below what the team expected when they shelled out a hefty trade package for him this offseason. He managed to snag just three passes for 48 yards in their 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, and get this: he missed multiple deep targets that could have flipped that whole game. It’s wild, but since arriving in New England, Brown hasn’t even crossed the 50-yard mark in a single game yet.
Still Waiting on the WR1 Production
Look, the sample size is small, for sure, but the numbers are pretty glaring. In the two games since A.J. Brown returned from injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, he has hauled in only six of the sixteen passes thrown his way, for a grand total of just 75 yards. Oh, and he’s racked up at least four drops in that same span. He struggled badly against the Jets on Sunday, logging three dropped passes and nearly botching an onside kick at the end of the game. Against the Bears, he was incrementally better, but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for a guy who cost a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
The Patriots clearly wanted WR1 production when they made that trade, right? So far this season, Brown has nine catches for 101 yards in about ten quarters of work. Drake Maye threw a gorgeous deep shot for him against the Bears, but Brown just couldn’t bring it in. After the loss, Brown talked about trying to be patient. “I’m a vet, I understand how the game goes,” he said. “It’s just how the game is. I know what type of player I am, and I know that that’s always the case: Every time I line up, I get a lot of attention. Teams try to take me away, and it gives a lot of opportunities to other guys to make plays and soften that up for me. And then whenever I get my shots, I have to make them.” Even with the Patriots throwing the ball effectively against the Bears, Brown just hasn’t elevated this offense yet. With Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins both on injured reserve, the need for Brown to step up as Maye’s top target is massive.
The Unsettling Stat Line
This isn’t a completely new struggle for Brown, either. His 2025 season with the Eagles was often chalked up to issues with Jalen Hurts, a rough passing offense, and poor usage. The Patriots, though, clearly still saw that game-changing talent in him. They probably looked at his last eight regular-season games in 2025, where he pulled down 49 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns, even if you factor in a three-catch playoff stinker. But the big picture? It isn’t pretty. Brown was down overall in 2025, and now in three games with New England, he’s playing at an even sparser level.
Just check out these numbers. In 2025, his yards per route run was 2.09, a career low. His YAC per reception was 3.4, another career low. And his yards per target sat at 8.29, which was the second lowest of his career. Now, in 2026, those numbers are even worse: 1.22 yards per route run (a new career low) and 2.6 YAC per reception (also a new career low). Can Brown turn this season around and live up to that trade capital? The Patriots are absolutely counting on it, but right now, the return on investment has been, well, poor.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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