Conventional NFL wisdom believes it's only a matter of time before the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots complete a trade that will make A.J. Brown the No. 1 wide receiver in New England. The Los Angeles Rams are one of a handful of franchises who might have a legitimate interest in upsetting that narrative. Brown is just the sort of veteran offensive weapon that could help Matthew Stafford make one last Super Bowl run.
Los Angeles' recent decision to guarantee $24 million for veteran wideout Davante Adams may functionally take them out of the Browns sweepstakes. Then again, GM Les Snead has never been shy about parting with draft capital to make a transaction work.
That's why officials inside the Patriots front office should be keeping an eye on their counterparts with the Rams. The odds might be stacked against this trade happening, but it might be just the sort of gamble the Rams need to take if they want to win one more title for their aging quarterback.
The Rams would need to part with serious draft capital to land A.J. Brown
Whether or not the Patriots and Eagles have already agreed to terms on a Brown trade is up in the air. What is certain is that the Rams would need to outbid New England if they are going to upgrade their wide receiver room.
One first-round pick will be the foundation of any offer the Rams would need to make to land Brown. The challenge on their end is the likelihood of that pick being near the bottom of Round 1. That's why Los Angeles will need to sweeten the pot if they're going to win this trade race.
The easiest path towards completing this deal would be for the Rams to add a second round pick in next year's draft to the mix. Philadelphia might prefer another future first, but that's a bridge too far for the Rams.
It's important to point out that Los Angeles is the sort of team that can reasonably conclude it's time to push all their chips to the middle of the proverbial table. The organization drew a lot of criticism for spending this year's first rounder on Ty Simpson. Obviously, he's not going to be in a position to help Stafford ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl champ.
Adding Brown to the mix would silence the Simpson credits. He would combine with Puka Nacua and Adams to form the best wide receiver trio in the NFL. His ability to win battles on the outside would open up the middle of the field for Adams and Nacua. To put it bluntly, he'd made Los Angeles an even more terrifying nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.
Can the Rams really trade for A.J. Brown?
The Rams have the resources and motivation required to make a Brown trade. That does not mean they will jump in to outbid the Patriots. Their decision to draft Simpson shows they are taking more of a long view than they have in previous seasons.
That likely rules them out of the Brown sweepstakes even if it's the sort of deal that could make their offense unstoppable.
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