Adam Schefter Breaks Down Possible Draft Cost For Patriots To Land Eagles' A.J. Brown originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the rearview mirror, it's time for Patriots fans to start imagining what the roster could look like if New England can manage to land Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
There is speculation that the Eagles may trade Brown after June 1, as a deal before that date would incur a $43 million cap hit this season. However, if the Patriots are looking to acquire Brown, what would the cost be?
Nobody is quite sure what type of draft capital the Patriots would need to send to the Eagles, but ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter suggested that a first-round pick in 2028 could be part of the deal, rather than a first-round pick in 2027.
"I expect that this trade will come together on June 1. Schefter said on Monday during the "Pat McAfee Show". "It’s not gonna be hard to get done. The Eagles are open to moving him, the Patriots want him, and I believe in the end it will involve a future first-round draft pick. My guess is 2028 — one in 2028. But, let’s see what the two sides finally figure out there in the end.”
.@AdamSchefter believes the looming #Patriots and Eagles trade for AJ Brown will involve 2028 draft capital.“I expect that this trade will come together in June 1st... It’s not gonna be hard to get done. The Eagles are open to moving him, the Patriots want him, and I believe in… pic.twitter.com/umamrbWaF8
If the Patriots can avoid giving up a first-round pick in 2027 and only have to part with a 2028 first-rounder, it may not feel like such a substantial setback. There's a decent chance New England could be picking late in the first round in 2028 if it can return to the winning ways it showed last season.
It will be interesting to see what the full deal is between the Patriots and Eagles if a trade occurs, and whether New England will need to give up any players as part of the arrangement.
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