What could the Eagles get back in an A.J. Brown trade? We outlined three possibilities.

The clock continues to tick down to the apparent departure of A.J. Brown from the Eagles. Reports in recent weeks have identified the New England Patriots as the likely destination, with a deal to become official after June 1 when Brown’s $40 million salary cap charge would be split in half.

When asked about developments on the Brown front during April’s draft, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said, “A.J. is a member of the Eagles. We don’t have any trades that have been made or that are done.”

While Brown’s departure would seem a fait accompli, the acquiring team and the trade terms are apparently not etched in stone, and the month of May could see further negotiations toward a deal. With that in mind, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team of Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg, and Ryan Novozinsky drew upon the realities of the market, as well as the history of Roseman’s past trades, and took a stab at some practical deal parameters that could make sense for both sides.

This return would likely be the ideal for the Eagles. It’s the same return that the Green Bay Packers received for Davante Adams when they traded him to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 (both picks were also in 2022, as the trade occurred before the draft). At the time, Adams was 29 years old and had posted over 1,000 receiving yards in three of his last four seasons. Similarly, Brown turns 29 in June and has eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons with the Eagles since he was traded from the Tennessee Titans in 2022.

But there are other factors at play with Brown that may impact the Eagles’ ability to get the same haul the Packers received for Adams. In 2022, Adams was coming off the best year of his career, posting over 1,500 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Brown had a relatively down season in 2025, finishing with 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. Plus, while Adams didn’t exactly have a clean bill of health after eight years in the league, he didn’t have a long-term knee issue like Brown reportedly does.

Then there’s the question of leverage. If the Eagles only have one suitor in the Patriots, how much can they really drive the asking price up, unless they’re comfortable with walking away and keeping Brown on the roster going into 2026? — Olivia Reiner

There probably was a world where one first-round pick would have been enough, but then the Miami Dolphins fetched first- and fourth-round picks from Denver for Jaylen Waddle, and a market of sorts was set for Brown, who is a better player than Waddle. On the flip side, how much leverage do the Eagles have in all of this? Olivia makes a good point about the Adams deal, and it’s hard to imagine the Eagles getting that kind of compensation for Brown given all that’s transpired.

Roseman has shown in the past that he won’t settle for less in most deals. A future first and a 2027 third feels like a sort of happy medium. It’s hard to get maximum value for players like Brown when you’re trading them. Perhaps the 2027 pick is a conditional pick that could get to a second if Brown hits certain benchmarks. — Jeff Neiburg

A.J. Brown is still a superstar receiver — one that the Patriots desperately need to bolster their offense with Drake Maye under center. Superstar players don’t go for cheap, so you should expect the Birds to get at least a first-round pick and another premium asset in return for him.

But I just don’t see Howie Roseman fetching a 2027 first.

The 2027 draft is expected to be loaded with talent at premium positions. ESPN’s way-too-early 2027 mock draft has three quarterbacks and two wide receivers in the top five alone. Bottom line: It’s going to take a lot to pry a 2027 first out of Patriots GM Eliot Wolf’s cabinet. The prospect of having a ticket to draft receivers like Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith or Texas’ Cam Coleman is just too appealing to give up. Roseman will undoubtedly push for it, but I bet he’ll settle for a 2028 first and a 2027 second. — Ryan Novozinsky