It sure feels like the relationship between AJ Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles is beyond repair at this point, no matter who — Brown himself, Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo, some combination of the four — you think deserves the brunt of the blame. But Philly is still Howie Roseman's team, and Howie Roseman has never heard of selling low on a trade asset. So it shouldn't really be a surprise that, according to recent reports, the Eagles turned down an offer from the New England Patriots that would've sent a first- and a third-round pick in this year's draft to Philadelphia in exchange for the disgruntled wideout.
It's obvious that the Pats have Brown at the top of their offseason wish list, especially after releasing former No. 1 receiver Stefon Diggs. But that doesn't mean they should be willing to meet any price, and rashly forfeiting premium assets is exactly how young, promising teams watch their contention windows shut before their eyes. And besides, Brown's age, price tag and off-field concerns make him far from a slam-dunk investment.
Luckily, though, there's still a way for both sides to get what they want. The Patriots can hang on to their first-round pick this year and add Brown without blowing a hole in their offseason, while Philly can get younger and more flexible without taking too big a step back on offense.
How the Patriots might nab AJ Brown without giving up a first-round pick
I get that this probably hurts for Patriots fans, especially considering the season (and postseason) that Boutte had in 2025. But it's also worth remembering that, for all of the highs, he was hardly the model of consistency: The former LSU product caught just 10 passes for 120 yards over the final five weeks of the regular season, and he was more or less a non-factor in the AFC title game and the Super Bowl. He's a promising young player, no doubt, but he has a way's to go before he can become a credible No. 1 option on a championship contender.
The Eagles already have one of those in DeVonta Smith, and Boutte would give Philly a young, cost-controlled deep threat to put opposite him along with two valuable draft picks. If Roseman wants to hold out for the Quinnen Williams return (a first-rounder and a second-rounder), more power to him, and it's certainly possible that a team misses out on Alec Pierce and gets desperate. But Boutte would be more or less the best-case outcome for that second-round pick, and he'd come with plenty more capital to spend.
It feels like everyone gets what they're looking for here. The Patriots lose a legit starter in Boutte, sure, but they also raise their ceiling significantly with the addition of Brown, while Kyle Williams and Efton Chism still remain as young guys who could potentially take a real leap in 2026 alongside Pop Douglas and Mack Hollins. Add in another marginal signing or Day 3 pick, and you've got a Super Bowl-caliber set of weapons around Maye, all while holding on to your first-round pick.
Philly, meanwhile, gets off of Brown's contract (and Brown's drama) without leaving a smoking crater in the middle of their wide receiver depth chart. They won't have two first-rounders to play with, true, but two seconds isn't too shabby, and a Smith/Boutte tandem makes a lot of sense on paper if they can add a slot receiver and/or tight end in free agency or via the draft.