The writing had been on the wall for a while now, but on Monday — at the earliest possible opportunity — the Patriots and Eagles finalized a trade to send wide receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia to New England. In return, a first-round draft pick in 2028 plus a fifth-rounder in 2027 exchanged hands as well.
Acquiring Brown naturally has a negative effect on the Patriots’ draft portfolio, particularly in 2028. That said, the team is bringing aboard a No. 1-caliber wide receiver who has been among
the best pass catchers in football throughout his first seven seasons in the NFL.
The fallout from such a move will be felt across the team’s entire roster, so let’s assess who will be impacted the most in our estimation.
Winners
QB Drake Maye: The Patriots’ wide receiver corps during Drake Maye’s first two seasons in the league was held together by duct tape and hope. While the results were promising nonetheless — a testament to his qualities as a QB — the group’s shortcomings also reared their ugly heads time and again, especially against quality opposition. With Brown now in the mix, Maye has a veteran target at his disposal capable of competing against top-tier cornerbacks, beating tight man coverage, and challenging defenses on all three levels. Brown may be on a slight downward trajectory given his age and injury history, but he nonetheless can be an instant-impact player for Maye.
WR Kyle Williams: The Patriots were intent on using Kyle Williams as a backup X-receiver in 2025, and the then-third-round rookie did have some encouraging moments in that role. However, he nonetheless felt miscast given his skillset and how he was used back in college. New England is open to expanding Williams’ usage, and Brown arriving as a starting X should further accelerate that development and thus his growth as a player.
WR Romeo Doubs: A rising tide lifts all the boats, and that is precisely what the Patriots are hoping for by adding Brown. While the entire offense should benefit from his presence, we are highlighting Doubs in particular. The free agency acquisition via a four-year, $68 million contract should be in a position to get more favorable matchups now that New England has an attention-grabber like Brown opposite him; Doubs working as a flex target against No. 2 cornerbacks should allow him to develop into a true volume receiver in the mold of 2025’s Stefon Diggs.
Run game: Brown’s primary role is getting open and catching passes, or at the very least attracting coverage, but he also has the abilities to positively contribute in the run game. A big-bodied and physical player who uses those attributes as a receiver, he is capable of holding his own as a blocker. This, in turn, should also benefit the play-action game. The player he should be replacing in the lineup — Kayshon Boutte, who we will discuss in a second — was no slouch either, but Brown is an upgrade across the board.
Josh McDaniels: The Patriots’ offensive coordinator has worked with some talented receivers during his time in New England, and even a declining Brown is right up there with the second best of them. It will therefore be fascinating to see how McDaniels chooses to use the 28-year-old within the context of the offense he is constructing. Maybe he continues to spend most of his time as an X-receiver, maybe he sees an uptick in other roles to help maximize his skillset. Everything seems to be on the table.
CB Christian Gonzalez: New England’s top cornerback will not be impacted on the same levels as the players mentioned above, but he nonetheless is a benefactor of Brown joining the team. For one, the trade saga being in the books should allow the Patriots to shift their focus to working on his own extension; Gonzalez has been absent from OTAs for apparent contractual reasons. Furthermore, the ex-Eagle is the best wide receiver the former first-round draft pick will have faced in practice during his career and vice versa. Iron sharpening iron.
Losers
WR Kayshon Boutte: Boutte was the Patriots’ top X-receiver last year, and he did a commendable job despite having some limitations for that role. Theoretically, adding Brown might help the team find a more suitable role as an X/Z hybrid for him. Realistically, however, the trade might end up being the final nail in the coffin when it comes to his future in New England. The fourth-year man has been mentioned in trade rumors each of the last two offseasons, and given the additions of Romeo Doubs and now Brown this spring, he might indeed be on his way out of town.
WR Mack Hollins: Hollins was a starter for the Patriots in 2025, and like Boutte performed well. His outlook, at least for this season, also is less murky with Brown joining the offense. However, that does not mean he won’t also be negatively impacted by the addition and overall moves made this offseason to address Drake Maye’s supporting cast. Given all of that, Hollins playing a less prominent role in 2026 could very well be in the cards — despite him still projecting as a possible starter-level Z-receiver.
