The long-anticipated trade involving A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots appears to be entering its final stages.
Appearing on 97.5 The Fanatic Monday morning, Adam Schefter reiterated reporting he first shared roughly six weeks ago: the expectation remains that Brown will be traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to New England once the calendar flipped to June 1.
Schefter also reaffirmed that the centerpiece of the compensation package is expected to be a 2028 first-round draft pick.
Most NFL insiders, including Schefter, expect the deal to happen within the next 24-48 hours.
Longtime Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane added additional context Monday regarding both the structure of the deal and how the Eagles internally arrived at this point.
According to McLane, the parameters of a potential agreement between Philadelphia and New England may have been discussed as far back as two draft cycles ago. He also noted that if the return is ultimately centered around only a 2028 first-round pick, it represents a notable drop from Philadelphia’s original asking price, which reportedly included both a first- and second-round selection.
Part of that shift may have come from a softer-than-expected market.
McLane reiterated previous reports that the Los Angeles Rams were believed to be the only other serious suitor for Brown. Concerns surrounding Brown’s knee maintenance, combined with what some evaluators considered a “down season” by his standards, may have also impacted negotiations.
Even so, Brown remains widely viewed as one of the NFL’s elite receivers and continues to receive strong endorsements around the league for both his leadership and competitiveness.
From the Eagles’ perspective, the timing has always mattered.
Trading Brown after June 1 allows Philadelphia to spread out a substantial dead cap hit while also creating major long-term financial flexibility. The Eagles will be saving roughly $133.1 million in future cash commitments despite absorbing approximately $43 million in dead money.
What also stands out is how the reported compensation compares to recent receiver trades across the NFL.
McLane pointed to the recent deal involving Jaylen Waddle, where the Denver Broncos surrendered a first-, third-, and fourth-round pick package to the Miami Dolphins.
While Waddle is younger, many evaluators would still rank Brown above him overall, making the Eagles’ expected return appear somewhat lighter than anticipated.
After months of speculation, June 1 has arrived and with it the end of A.J. Brown’s time in Philadelphia.
