Yes, A.J. Brown is absolutely playing for the Patriots in 2026. The trade from the Eagles was confirmed on June 1 for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. He passed his physical on June 2 and has already participated in Patriots OTAs — he's reuniting with head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached him in Tennessee (from the A.J. Brown page).
Here's the gist:
- Scheme fit: Brown thrived on under-center play-action crossing routes during his Titans years — exactly what Drake Maye runs best. Maye led the league with an 86.8 QBR on play-action throws in 2025.
- Depth chart: He's the clear WR1 ahead of Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, and rookie Kyle Williams.
- Risk: The wiki notes degenerative knee concerns as a downside for his age-29 season — Josh & Hayden on Underdog also flagged that his knee issues could "derail the end of his career a little bit quicker than we typically see" .
Bottom line: Brown is a Patriot. Big fantasy upside paired with elevated injury risk.