It doesn't happen very often, but the NFL world is about to see a trade go down in the month of June that truly has a ripple effect on the entire league. Wide receiver AJ Brown has made it very clear that he's not happy in Philadelphia, and the Eagles appear ready to give in to his request to get out of Philly.
And in all likelihood, he seems headed for the reigning AFC Champion New England Patriots.
The latest timeline given by ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler seems to indicate that this deal, which has been getting discussed all offseason, is finally about to come to a head, possibly as early as June 1.
Blockbuster AJ Brown trade could come together quickly as the calendar flips to June
Teams are 30 hours away from being able to utilize post-June-1 cap benefits via trades and cuts.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 31, 2026
A.J. Brown, Alvin Kamara and Brandon Aiyuk among players to watch@SportsCenter updates with @garystriewski pic.twitter.com/tYlRZotJKy
"After 4:01 PM (June 1)...is when -- that time that we've been waiting on -- the Eagles can spread out that cap hit over two years instead of one. So, the Patriots are hopeful that they can try to get a deal done shortly after that window opens, but they still have to agree -- I'm told they have not been overly crazy about giving up a 1st-round pick, which is what Philly's kind of wanted all along, here."
- Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
Of course, the Patriots don't want to give up a 1st-round pick for a player who seemingly only wants to be traded to them. They want to have their cake and eat it, too. But Eagles GM Howie Roseman pretty much never "loses" a trade on paper, at least when the deals are initially made.
He's not going to be taken for a ride in this case, either, and will get what he wants for Brown or will get the equivalent of that in some way, shape, or form.
This is a rare type of league-altering trade about to be made in the dog days of summer. The Eagles' offense and roster take a substantial hit by trading away Brown, even if they have alternatives in place with 1st-round pick Makai Lemon and trade acquisition Dontayvion Wicks.
The Patriots moved on from leading receiver Stefon Diggs this offseason, and need an alpha at the position. It just so happens that Brown has a history with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel dating back to their time together with the Tennessee Titans.
Although the Eagles are probably happy to have some finality with this situation, it's a huge loss for their team overall. Players like AJ Brown aren't just ripe for the picking, and they seem to know they're going to have to supplement his loss with multiple guys.
Meanwhile, the Patriots ahve already added Romeo Doubs to their new-look receiver room this offseason, and getting Brown gives them even more firepower for an offense that was already extremely dangerous in 2025.
Add us as a preferred source on Google