A.J. Brown-Patriots trade is definitively the steal of the offseason already

They say wins are a quarterback stat, but what if quarterbacks are a wide receiver stat?

A.J. Brown will be a test case for the importance of the modern receiver for NFL team building. Brown was a somewhat distressed asset, and it was no secret the Philadelphia Eagles were looking to trade him. Yet the New England Patriots gave up a first-round pick to make it happen, owing to their belief that Drake Maye and this team, which just made the Super Bowl, really might be just a wide receiver away. 

A.J. Brown will elevate Drake Maye even further

We’ve since this movie before: young quarterback struggles without top-end receiving talent goes up a level with the addition of an elite receiver. 2018-2019 Josh Allen was throwing to John Brown and Zay Jones before Stefon Diggs showed up in 2020, racked up 1500 yards and the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East for the first time since 1995. It happened with A.J. Brown for Jalen Hurts: between 2021 and 2022, the Eagles added A.J. Brown … and then added five wins to go 14-3. 

The Patriots are certainly hoping Brown will be that for Maye, and given the team’s timeline and performance last season, getting a sure thing for a late first-round pick that might be just another N’Keal Harry (if you don’t know who that is, congratulations) feels like a steal. It’s good for the Eagles too, who had clearly run their course with Brown, but the AFC should be rather annoyed with them.

I have probably been entirely too cavalier about how much better the Patriots’ receiving corps is this upcoming season relative to last year. Diggs had spurts of greatness but nothing consistent, and the team was essentially patching together a Kayshon Boutte deep shot/Pop Douglas screen pass offense with a few TreVeyon Henderson home runs mixed in there. I love Hunter Henry as much as the next guy, but A.J. freaking Brown and Romeo Doubs is a sizeable double upgrade.

Brown and Maye will be an elite pairing with improved surrounding pieces

Drake Maye almost won the dang MVP award with far less support, and now with an additional year of experience this feels like a smash spot. I know the schedule is harder, but just look through the games: it really isn’t that hard all things considered. And while their competition is better, New England is significantly better themselves. 

Finally here’s why I love A.J. Brown philosophically in two paragraphs: during a passing play in the NFL, cornerbacks and wide receivers are playing a game within the game. Both are in a completely messed-up situation: the receiver has to dictate a route that cuts through 11 defensive players, get into positive space, do it fast enough to give his quarterback a chance to get him the ball, and then he has to catch it. The cornerback, meanwhile, knows none of what the receiver is planning and still has to stay with him. 

I’ve long had a theory that NFL wide receivers and cornerbacks are the neurosurgeons of sports. Might be a bit hard to understand their profession, overflowing with confidence, can be kind of a weird hang. But if you’re in a really messed-up situation, like an NFL passing down, who do you want out there handling it? That guy. 

Brown is definitely going to bring that energy to New England, and was famously unhappy after the Eagles won the Super Bowl because he wasn’t really involved in the game. What a wonderful guy to have on your team! Someone who is so committed to destroying defensive backs that they take to Instagram (his handle is 1K_alwaysopen by the way) to recommit to the grind after winning the Super Bowl!? This is a guy the Patriots can get excited about, first-round pick be damned. 

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