Patriots Rumor A.J. Brown trade rumors heat up - Should Patriots get him?

[mgteich]

I mean restructure. I think they really want him back regardless of what happens at WR. He would be lethal if paired up with Brown outside, but I don't believe that will happen. I would like to see Alec Pierce in instead. He only costs $$$ and no draft picks.

fair enough
That would mean that the 2027 cap would be over $60M for the two receivers.

2026 is easily doable. Brown's current contract has an option which makes the 2026 cap hit only $7M.

I suspect that this cost is BELOW market price over the next four years. Of course, the issue is that almost all the compensation is fully guaranteed.

I still think that it is Diggs OR Brown, with the Brown option having considerable upside.

 

[dliverey44]

fair enough
That would mean that the 2027 cap would be over $60M for the two receivers.

2026 is easily doable. Brown's current contract has an option which makes the 2026 cap hir only $7M.

The Cowboys and Cinncy both say having 2 top WRs is a good way to go. lol

 

[mgteich]

Is Brown worth $28M AAV or not over a 4-year contract plus a pick?

 

[Real fan 02]

Is it within the rules for the patriots and eagles to make a deal that is not executed until after June 1st?

Aren't folks doing something similar now, trading and not executing until March 11th?

From the reporting I've followed on this.. eagles want to make a deal before the draft..

 

[imahobgoblin]

fair enough
That would mean that the 2027 cap would be over $60M for the two receivers.

2026 is easily doable. Brown's current contract has an option which makes the 2026 cap hit only $7M.

I suspect that this cost is BELOW market price over the next four years. Of course, the issue is that almost all the compensation is fully guaranteed.

I still think that it is Diggs OR Brown, with the Brown option having considerable upside.

I totally agree, but I still don't think Brown is available. Philly cannot take a $43 mil dead cap hit when they have $40 mill already. Once they get all their restructures done, they would be looking at 1/3 of the cap in dead money. Thats just not happening.

 

[Rob0729]

Its so obvious that adding one stud wr is not gonna change fortunes of this offense more.

We stunk in playoffs due to subpar oline play and QB play which regressed due to injury and always looking for the deep pass. I hope Maye takes the leap again this year and the post season was an aberration and not sign of things to come this season. I am cautiously optimistic that Maye will do well.

Stroud was also a stud in his first year and just unraveled over last 2 years.

A stud WR can help o-line play. If the opposing defense is worried that a stud WR can get open quickly, it minimizes the amount a team can blitz. It also moves coverage away from other receivers to get people open.

Look at Miami the years Tua was good. Because they had Hill and Waddle getting open right away and Tua could get rid of the ball quickly, it covered up for the fact that their o-line wasn't that great.

The odds are better that a solid o-line can cover for a lesser receiving corp than a stud receiver can cover for a mediocre o-line, but it happens.

 

[Rob0729]

Let's be real. In his career, Chism has had 4 receptions. He may or may not make the team in 2026.

Douglas has been a minor contributor and has indeed been explosive. He is miles and miles more likely to contribute than Chism, and contributed more than Williams.

If we add someone, it is not all clear that we would or should keep either of Douglas or Chism. After all, the point of upgrades is to make the team better by substituting a new player for someone presently on the roster.

COMING INTO 2025, Vrabel didn't know if Diggs could carry a full load early in the season. He didn't know how anyone but Diggs and Hollins would fit into Josh's system, or how quickly.

We quickly found out that Boutte was one of our top 3.

Josh got very little out of the rest, although of course, Williams was a rookie and it is reasonable for him to take time to learn to be a contributing NFL receiver.

One thing about Williams is that he was a third round pick. People judge him as if he was a first or second round pick. Third round WRs can take a year or two to get to the point to be a productive player.

As for Douglas and Chism and the slot, I have a feeling that if both Brown and Diggs are on the team as it seems the Patriots hope, I think the starting line up will be Brown as the X, Boutte as the Z, and Diggs in the slot.

I can see Douglas as trade bait in that situation since he won't have much of a role and going into the last year of his rookie contract. Probably not until towards the end of the preseason since they would want to see if Chism is good enough to make the final 53 man roster. But either way, only one of Douglas and Chism will be on the team next year at least on the final 53. Chism could spend another year on the practice squad and activated in certain situations.

 

[Rob0729]

The Eagles are insane for asking for an 1 and a 2 for AJ Brown. They gave up a 1st and a 3rd round pick to get Brown four years ago.

I know it is all negotiations and asking prices go down and sometimes a lot, but that is a ridiculous starting position. I agree with this guy. Brown's value is probably a third rounder with his age and his knee potentially being a problem as he gets older. I can see the Pats giving up this or next year's second since it is a very low second and next year's picks have less value than this year's. But they would be stupid to even give up the 31st pick.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I think folks are giving up on Chism too quickly.

 

[TommyD4207]

Is Brown worth $28M AAV or not over a 4-year contract plus a pick?

Depends on the pick.

 

[RxJock1120]

Depends on the pick.

No way are we giving up a 1st and a 2nd for him, whichvi believe is the Eagles current asking price.

 

[dliverey44]

Is Brown worth $28M AAV or not over a 4-year contract plus a pick?

Imo No

 

[TheRainMaker]

I have a hard to believing the Pats would trade for him without addressing the OL.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Is Brown worth $28M AAV or not over a 4-year contract plus a pick?

2027 3rd rounder + 6th rounder? Yes.

 

[Gumby]

2027 3rd rounder + 6th rounder? Yes.

I would consider:
2026 3d
+2027 conditional one pick of 4-5-6, dependent on games played and yd-tds.

Would not give up 2d in 2026, even if is only #63. and no way in hell a first in either year.

 

[imahobgoblin]

I would consider:
2026 3d
+2027 conditional one pick of 4-5-6, dependent on games played and yd-tds.

Would not give up 2d in 2026, even if is only #63. and no way in hell a first in either year.

That is not happening. If the trade is before June 1 with a 2026 pick, Philly gets a $43 million dead cap hit. The trade will be post June 1. There is no post June 1 designation like cuts. The actual transaction has to take place after June 1. A 2026 low pick is off the table. They would want a premium pick.

 

[Gumby]

That is not happening. If the trade is before June 1 with a 2026 pick, Philly gets a $43 million dead cap hit. The trade will be post June 1. There is no post June 1 designation like cuts. The actual transaction has to take place after June 1. A 2026 low pick is off the table. They would want a premium pick.

Yeah, you’ve made that point plenty. I tend to agree & then I would be at an impass w Philly and just have to walk away.

But there were some deals in past where the trading team passed cap hit somehow. I don’t know the legalities of that.
So if they did a 2026 pick & [Pats] picked up $20M of the cap hit, maybe that could still be done.

 

[Triumph]

He'd have to take a pay cut which is what I'm sure you meant.

I don't see it happening.

Diggs signed a prove it year 1 and he proved to be as advertised.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I don't see it happening.

Diggs signed a prove it year 1 and he proved to be as advertised.

I don't think he's worth the cap number at all which I've already stated why in this thread or other threads. The media is mixing up "restructuring" with an actual pay cut, but we get their point.

"If the 32-year-old Diggs hopes to return to New England, “he must restructure his contract to lower the cap hit” from its present value of $26.5 million, a source told MassLive."

"Diggs also has $6 million in guaranteed money due on March 13, and the team is “working toward a resolution” and “should have this situation resolved in the coming weeks,” MassLive reported."

"The report also cited a second source predicting that Diggs will be “unwilling” to rework his deal, and that the organization already is talking about replacing his production alongside quarterback Drake Maye."

Patriots could cut Stefon Diggs over contract issue after reaching Super Bowl

Diggs led the Pats with 85 receptions and 1,013 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns in 17 games.

nypost.com

 

[imahobgoblin]

Yeah, you’ve made that point plenty. I tend to agree & then I would be at an impass w Philly and just have to walk away.

But there were some deals in past where the trading team passed cap hit somehow. I don’t know the legalities of that.
So if they did a 2026 pick & [Pats] picked up $20M of the cap hit, maybe that could still be done.

And I wil continue to make the point 1000 more times until people get it because they just don't. No one will listen to it.

So you you think the Pats could pay a draft pick, a $28 mil average for 4 years, and an additional $20 mil??? What???? Why would we ever do that?

No, NFL teams cannot directly trade or pay other teams to take on their dead cap space. Dead cap represents money already paid to a player (like signing bonuses) that has not yet been accounted for against the cap; this charge remains with the original team, even if the player is traded.