Man, talk about a swing and a miss. The Eagles shipping off three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots deep in the 2026 NFL offseason was supposed to be a win-win, right? Philly wanted to move an unhappy player who wasn’t vibing with Jalen Hurts and coach Nick Sirianni, and New England thought they finally snagged a true No. 1 for third-year QB Drake Maye, even reuniting Brown with his old Titans coach Mike Vrabel. But seriously, after watching how this has played out, both teams got played. This trade, which initially got the Patriots an “A” and the Eagles a “B,” just got re-graded to a straight-up “D” for New England. It’s looking like the NFL’s worst offseason move, and it’s not even close.
A.J. Brown’s Disappearing Act and the Patriots’ Costly Gamble
Let’s just be real, A.J. Brown has been a ghost for the Patriots. Remember Week 1? Yeah, he was a total non-factor right here in Seattle before he even went down with a high ankle sprain that sidelined him all the way through Week 5. He finally returned for Sunday’s Week 6 game, where the Patriots managed to route the AFC East rival Jets 26-19 at home. Maye slung it for 235 yards and three touchdowns, which sounds great, but Brown’s contribution? A measly three catches for 27 scoreless receiving yards. And get this: he got a team-high 10 targets, yet was their fourth-leading receiver. Worst of all, he had a career single-game high of three drops and almost coughed up a turnover on the Jets’ last-gasp onside kick. In two games, the guy has only six catches for 53 yards. The Patriots aren’t feeling the sting of that 2028 first-round draft pick or the 2027 fifth-rounder they gave up just yet, but that’s a HUGE price for a 29-year-old wideout with a known history of soft-tissue injuries who can’t even finish his routes from Maye. What’s even crazier is Maye actually broke out of his slump in Week 4 against the Bills and Week 5 against the Raiders without Brown even on the field. Romeo Doubs opened the scoring against the Jets with a 46-yard strike before getting hurt, Demario Douglas led the team with seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown, and Hunter Henry grabbed four catches for 48 yards and a score. Plus, they rushed for 148 yards. It’s looking like they don’t even need Brown for their offense to click, which just makes that “D” grade feel even more brutal.
Eagles’ Injuries Pile Up as Playoff Hopes Dim
And then there are the Eagles. Man, you gotta feel for them a little, but it’s also clear they messed up letting Brown walk. They’ve been absolutely hammered by offensive injuries. Jalen Hurts is sidelined with a superficial blood clot, the first of several times this season, and they’re missing Saquon Barkley and his top two backups. Even with DeVonta Smith back from his hamstring and toe issues, backup quarterback Tanner McKee really struggled to connect with him and other Eagles receivers in Sunday’s 25-14 home loss to the Panthers. That’s their third straight defeat, dropping them to a dismal 2-4. They’re suddenly looking super iffy to even make the NFC playoffs, and you have to wonder if Brown’s presence could have been a huge help for a backup quarterback trying to navigate this injury-riddled mess. This trade has come back to bite both teams hard, but in very different ways.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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