Bullet point summary by AI
- The New England Patriots trading for Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown has been considered a formality.
- However, the trade is not done, and the Green Bay Packers could play spoiler with a deal of their own.
- Green Bay already has made a deal with Philadelphia this offseason, and could look to make another.
The idea that A.J. Brown will end up with the New England Patriots before Week 1 of the 2026 regular season might not be as certain as many NFL observers expect. Recent reports indicate the Green Bay Packers are emerging as a dark horse candidate to make a trade to acquire the enigmatic Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver.
Notable bettor Simon Hunter went on record with his belief that the Packers are “sneakily in conversation” with Philadelphia about a potential Brown trade. Hunter noted that Green Bay had not done much to upgrade their options at wide receiver during the offseason. In fact, the group appears to be weaker on paper after losing Romeo Doubs in free agency and trading Dontayvion Wicks.
Why the Packers could be interested in A.J. Brown
The hope in Green Bay is that internal roster improvement can make up for the players they’ve lost. Christian Watson struggled with injury last year but heads into training camp with a full bill of health.
Last year’s first-round pick Matthew Golden flashed as a rookie but can be expected to be more consistent in his sophomore campaign. Jaden Reed is another player who has the talent to be a star but needs to put his full game together.
The addition of Brown via trade could still transform the pass-catching options available to Jordan Love. Brown is a true outside threat who excels at winning 50/50 balls down the field. That skill set fits perfectly with Love’s willingness to push the ball whenever the opportunity arises.
What would the Packers have to give up in a trade for A.J. Brown?
The Eagles are willing to let Brown go, but that does not mean they are going to give him away for free. General consensus believes Philadelphia is looking for premium draft compensation to let go of the highly-productive wide receiver.
The Eagles will rightly demand a first-round pick to move on from Brown. Getting one in the highly thought-of 2027 draft will be a coup for GM Howie Roseman and his staff. Having extra draft capital next April could come in handy for a team that might be looking to replace quarterback Jalen Hurts.
In a perfect world, the Eagles would find a suitor willing to give up an additional second or third-rounder. The market for Brown’s services is not robust enough to justify that type of return. That’s why the Packers can get this done with a conditional fourth that would be guaranteed if Brown meets a reasonable number of snaps played.
Will the Packers trade for A.J. Brown?
In the end, this does not feel like a prudent move for Green Bay to make. Brown can help them immediately, but he’s closer to the end of his prime than the beginning. The Packers should be looking for a younger player with more upside if they’re going to part with such a valuable first-round pick.
That’s why the odds still favor the Patriots being the team to win the race for Brown. The Packers might put in a lowball bid to test Philadelphia’s resolve, but expect them to head into next season with Watson, Reed and Golden as their top three wideouts.
More NFL news and analysis
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
