Another day, another trade rumor connecting them to a po sible blockbuster deal with the for wide receiver A.J. Brown. It is now the worst-kept secret in the NFL that the Patriots are trying to acquire Brown, and it's not hard to see why they're interested. New England and the team now lacks a true No. 1 wideout. The addition of Romeo Doubs helps, but he's a No. 2, at best. The latest rumor surrounding the Patriots and a po sible trade for Brown comes from ESPN's Adam Schefter. A.J. Brown-Patriots trade rumor Schefter not only maintains that the Eagles are intent on , he also noted that the Patriots "are Jahlil Okafor Jersey by far the most likely landing spot." The ESPN reporter did go on to add that "there are certain pockets and windows" for a trade to go down sooner, and the 2026 NFL draft "would be one of those times." The reason behind the Eagles' desire to trade Brown after June 1 has to do with the dead-money hit Philly would take on. Instead of absorbing a whopping $40 million in 2026, trading Brown after June 1 allows Philly to spread that cap hit out. That's why it's unlikely we'll see a Brown trade before the aforementioned date. The problem for the Patriots in that scenario is that they could wait all that time and depend on Brown to provide the upgrade the team needs, but there is at least an outside chance something changes and New England gets left out in the cold. Perhaps there is a handshake deal behind the scenes we don't know about, but if not there is at least some risk with the Patriots waiting this out. More NFL News Jimmy Butler Jersey