Patriots Eyeing A.J. Brown as Top Target in Free Agency, Insider Claims.
The New England Patriots' search for a new wide receiver could be coming down to one name: A.J. Brown. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, who spoke on "Unfiltered with Ricky Bo & Bill Colarulo" show in Philadelphia, the Patriots are likely to make a serious push for the Eagles star receiver.
Schefter's take is that Brown would fit perfectly under new head coach Mike Vrabel, and it makes sense given the Patriots' ongoing search for a reliable receiver. With Vrabel at the helm, the Patriots could be rolling the dice on a high-risk, high-reward move to acquire Brown.
Brown, 28, has been at the center of trade speculation in recent months after expressing discontent with his role in the Eagles' offense. His numbers have taken a hit since November's trade deadline, and he only had three receptions for 25 yards in their playoff loss. However, this year, Brown recorded 40 receptions for 546 yards and four touchdowns in his final six games played.
The Eagles are unlikely to let him go without a fight, though. General manager Howie Roseman downplayed the idea of trading Brown when asked about it on Thursday. The team would face a significant cap penalty if they were to trade him this offseason, but some believe Brown could force the issue and make it impossible for the Eagles to keep him.
Trading Brown would reportedly land the Eagles some valuable draft capital, which they could use as some of their key defensive players will see their rookie contracts expire in the next year or two. The Patriots, meanwhile, have struggled with receiver play this season, making a move for Brown all the more intriguing.
Brown's past experience with Vrabel is also worth noting. The two spent three seasons together with the Titans, where they spoke highly of each other in the past. If the Patriots do make a push for Brown, it would likely put him firmly at the top of their wide receiver depth chart.
The New England Patriots' search for a new wide receiver could be coming down to one name: A.J. Brown. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, who spoke on "Unfiltered with Ricky Bo & Bill Colarulo" show in Philadelphia, the Patriots are likely to make a serious push for the Eagles star receiver.
Schefter's take is that Brown would fit perfectly under new head coach Mike Vrabel, and it makes sense given the Patriots' ongoing search for a reliable receiver. With Vrabel at the helm, the Patriots could be rolling the dice on a high-risk, high-reward move to acquire Brown.
Brown, 28, has been at the center of trade speculation in recent months after expressing discontent with his role in the Eagles' offense. His numbers have taken a hit since November's trade deadline, and he only had three receptions for 25 yards in their playoff loss. However, this year, Brown recorded 40 receptions for 546 yards and four touchdowns in his final six games played.
The Eagles are unlikely to let him go without a fight, though. General manager Howie Roseman downplayed the idea of trading Brown when asked about it on Thursday. The team would face a significant cap penalty if they were to trade him this offseason, but some believe Brown could force the issue and make it impossible for the Eagles to keep him.
Trading Brown would reportedly land the Eagles some valuable draft capital, which they could use as some of their key defensive players will see their rookie contracts expire in the next year or two. The Patriots, meanwhile, have struggled with receiver play this season, making a move for Brown all the more intriguing.
Brown's past experience with Vrabel is also worth noting. The two spent three seasons together with the Titans, where they spoke highly of each other in the past. If the Patriots do make a push for Brown, it would likely put him firmly at the top of their wide receiver depth chart.