Analysis
A.J. Brown trade winners and losers: Who gets a bump from blockbuster deal? Who takes a hit?
Published: Jun 01, 2026 at 04:35 PM
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Michael Baca
Digital Content Editor
After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown’s status in Philadelphia, the Patriots are acquiring the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver in a trade. On Monday, the Eagles announced that New England will send a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder over in exchange for Brown, pending a physical.
Thus ends Brown’s successful yet tumultuous tenure with the Eagles, which featured a triumphant Super Bowl win, press conference drama between the wide receiver and his coaching staff and a great promotion for “Inner Excellence.”
With the dust settling on this blockbuster trade, let’s see who the winners and losers are from Brown’s exit.
WINNERS
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots: Of all the winners (and there are plenty in the fallout of this deal), there’s perhaps no bigger beneficiary than Maye, who will get a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver in his follow-up to a breakout season. Armed with strong hands, a big body and a knack for YAC, Brown demands the respect of opposing defenses, and that kind of attention will garner tilted coverages Maye didn’t often see while leading a ragtag group of wideouts to Super Bowl LX in 2025. Up against higher expectations in 2026, Maye will surely be glad to have a game-changer like Brown, still in his physical prime headed into his age-29 season and no doubt ready to be utilized more after a couple of frustrating years in Philadelphia.
Maye has the arm talent to exploit Brown’s strengths, and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a history of propagating stellar seasons for X receivers, including Randy Moss (2007), Brandon Marshall (2009) and Davante Adams (2022). Brown had no issue acclimating to a new system when arriving to Philadelphia in 2022 — setting an Eagles single-season record with 1,496 receiving yards — and his presence alone should also lead to trickle-down opportunities for the rest of the offense (SEE: Saquon Barkley’s entrance into the 2,000-yard club), but it will be Maye who is helped the most as he enters a crucial sequel to what was a promising campaign for the Patriots.
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Howie Roseman, GM, Philadelphia Eagles: After months of side-stepping questions regarding Brown’s status on the Eagles, Roseman can put another feather in his cap after earning a future first-round pick for a player who seemed to be pretty much on the outs in Philly. Roseman gave up first- and third-round picks in 2022 to acquire Brown before handing him a three-year, $96 million extension that ran through 2029. Brown then returned the two best receiving seasons in Eagles history (2022-23) and helped facilitate two Super Bowl runs, the last of which ended with a Lombardi Trophy (2024). Waiting until after June 1 to make this trade also allowed Philadelphia to split the dead-money hit ($43.45 million) from parting with Brown over the next two seasons — the cherry on top of what has been savvy roster management by Roseman. Sure, there were unwelcome distractions involving Brown along the way, but from a GM’s perspective, anyone would take these results.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: It remains to be seen how Smith adjusts to life as the presumptive No. 1 option, but the opportunity alone classifies him as a winner in this scenario, in light of the potential that he’ll make a big leap. The Eagles’ comfort with trading Brown is a great compliment to Smith, who has grown into an elite WR2 over the past four seasons by producing three 1,000-yard campaigns in that span. The 27-year-old, who came into the league with questions surrounding his size (6-foot, 170 pounds), has shown tremendous growth in his route-running and field awareness, which allows him to create splash plays with his blazing speed. Of course, Smith’s production has largely been with Brown dictating coverages on the other side, but the Eagles’ new WR1 appears game for the role after establishing a great rapport with QB Jalen Hurts. Two years ago, when Brown was still clearly in the fold, Philadelphia signed Smith to a hefty contract extension that runs through 2028, and this season could set the table for an even bigger payday down the road.
Mike Vrabel, HC, New England Patriots: News of this blockbuster trade helps Vrabel in more ways than one. Brown not only heightens the potential of a Maye-led offense, but he has experience doing what the Patriots will be trying to accomplish: returning to the Super Bowl after a loss. Brown achieved that in Philadelphia (a passionate sports town where teams face similar pressures to those in Boston), and as a star player, he can be invaluable to Vrabel’s efforts at spreading the right message in 2026. Yes, the pair’s previous time together in Tennessee ended with Brown being shipped out of town. But Brown recently expressed a greater sense of appreciation for Vrabel’s coaching style than he had as a young player, and Vrabel responded with a statement of public admiration. In other words, everything looks copasetic between the two as they embark on a new chapter in New England.
LOSERS
Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: Hurts’ rise to stardom coincided with the arrival of Brown in 2022, prompting Philadelphia’s surge and cementing the club’s future at the game’s most important position. I expect Hurts to make the proper adjustments without Brown and maintain his winning ways as one of the more versatile quarterbacks in the NFL. However, I can’t help but picture moments where the absence of a hulking wideout will loom large this season. Philadelphia prepared for the departure of Brown this offseason, adding veterans Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown before drafting Makai Lemon and pass-catching tight end Eli Stowers in April. No one can duplicate the size, range and field awareness that Brown possesses, though.
Aside from losing his go-to target, Hurts also enters 2026 with his fourth offensive coordinator in as many seasons. It’s easy to imagine Sean Mannion looking to revitalize the Eagles offense by emphasizing a strong running attack that could take some pressure off Hurts as a passer, but I’m expecting Brown’s absence to be felt. Just as Maye was the big winner of the Brown trade, his counterpart in Philadelphia is disadvantaged.
AFC East defensive coordinators: New England’s WR1 upgrade is poised to bring massive challenges to those preparing to face the Patriots in 2026. All three of New England’s divisional foes enter the season with new directors on defense: Buffalo’s Jim Leonhard, Miami’s Sean Duggan and New York’s Brian Duker, who are all first-time defensive coordinators in the NFL to boot. Looking at the rosters for the Bills, Dolphins and Jets, none of those teams possess the prototypical lockdown cornerback that could negate Brown’s presence, which should excite Patriots OC Josh McDaniels. We will have to wait and see what exactly they have to offer defensively, but as of right now, the twice-a-year exercise of trying to handle Brown looks like a big problem for New England’s AFC East foes.
Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots: Boutte seems likely to be the odd man out upon Brown’s arrival despite showing flashes as a deep threat last season. The 2023 sixth-round pick averaged 16.7 yards per reception and scored six touchdowns in the regular season. And he put the final nail in Houston’s coffin with a memorable fourth-quarter score in the Divisional Round. Boutte, who is entering a contract year, was absent from the Patriots’ voluntary practices last week. Perhaps Boutte will find a better situation through a trade or release, but it’s looking like his tenure in New England is coming to an end.
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