A.J. Brown finally squared off against his former squad, the Eagles, for the first time since that blockbuster trade back in June, and you know he had some extra fire for the two joint practices. While it wasn’t a game, the veteran receiver certainly looked like he put some serious emphasis on these sessions in Foxborough. Right out of the gate on Day 1, Brown nearly blew the fans away.
The Almost-Touchdown and the “Little Things”
In the 1-on-1 drills, Brown immediately lined up against his old teammate, first-team All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell. Brown got a step on Mitchell down the left sideline, and rookie QB Drake Maye uncorked a perfectly placed dime right into Brown’s breadbasket for what should have been a touchdown. The crowd was ready to explode, but Brown could only get his left hand on the ball, and it fell incomplete. Afterwards, Brown was laughing about it but owned the mistake, saying, “Q got away with a little holding…I just have to finish the play. My right hand didn’t get to the ball quick enough. My left hand got on the ball, and that’s on me.” He stressed focusing on “attention to detail, catching the ball high, not letting it get low. It’s those little things.” He’s not wrong. That kind of attention to detail can turn a 40-yard bomb into a “long foul ball” real quick. But get this: that dropped touchdown against Mitchell was Brown’s *only blip* on an otherwise thunderous first day.
Dominating Team Drills and That Maye Connection
Dude was *on fire* for the rest of Wednesday’s practice. Brown was super active in team drills, catching all seven of his targets, whether it was during 11-on-11s or 7-on-7s. Maye just peppered him during the 7-on-7 period, with Brown snagging all three of his targets in that segment. On his final reception there, he even beat Mitchell in coverage again, and you know he had to spin the ball on the turf in celebration. Things only ramped up from there, as Brown continued to dazzle when practice moved to 11-on-11s. After grabbing his first target, he made what was arguably the highlight play of the entire day. He lined up on the right side and ran down the sideline, with Maye under pressure before he lofted a pass… and then the source cuts out.
That’s the kind of synergy you want to see emerging between a new receiver and his quarterback, especially with a young guy like Maye. Brown’s relationship with Jalen Hurts reportedly got “strained” in Philly, so seeing him look this comfortable already with Maye is a massive deal for the Patriots. If this Day 1 performance is any indication, you can bet the Eagles defenders are gonna have their hands full in the next practice session.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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