New England

Patriots

Russini adds that both the Rams and Patriots are still interested in acquiring Brown, but if a trade were to happen, it would likely occur closer to June 1st. This could be due to salary cap hits incurred by the Eagles after June 1st, rather than a potential trade partner. While it is possible Brown remains an Eagle through the 2026 season, we expect this sage to pop up again in various news cycles. Stay tuned.

Russini expanded on her report from earlier today in an article at The Athletic, saying Eagles general manager Howie Roseman “won’t part with a great player for nothing” and that his “asking price for Brown was a first- and a second-round pick.” It is unclear whether Roseman is willing to lower the price, but that is the haul the Packers received when they traded WR Davante Adams away to the Raiders in 2022. Adams was 29 years old at the time. Brown turns 29 in June. Russini reported last weekend that the Patriots are not giving up a first-round pick to acquire Brown. Patriots executive vice president of player personnel, Eliot Wolf, said the only “real deadlines you have are salary-cap related” when it comes to improving the team via trades. Over The Cap currently lists the Patriots with $51.6 million in cap space and the Rams with $20.456 million.

Brown played under now-Pats head coach Mike Vrabel with the Titans in 2023. He appeared in nine games this past season and saw most of his run on special teams. Brown will be fighting for a roster spot in New England during the summer.

Hill primarily served as a blocker in Miami. He caught 15 passes for 140 yards and has yet to catch a touchdown through three NFL seasons. He will take on some of the blocking duties left behind by Austin Hooper, who is now with the Falcons.

Byard likely limited his market a bit by only shopping his services to contenders, but it’s still a coup for the Patriots to add an AP All-Pro first team safety for just $9 million. Entering his age-33 season, Byard has yet to really face any kind of wall by PFF’s grading and has remained capable of playing a ton of snaps. He mostly operates as the deep safety, but has had plenty of work in the box as well and is more than capable of playing in it. Byard will likely be their starting deep safety in 2026.

Britt played just 149 defensive snaps last year for the Dolphins. He profiles as a core special teamer in New England.

The Patriots released Diggs this month before free agency began. Last year Diggs led the Patriots with a 20 percent target share and finished the regular season with 1,017 yards and four touchdowns. Doubs, Graf said, “can play on the outside. He can make up for a lot of the production over the middle that Stefon Diggs brought last season. He should help the offense’s red zone woes (20 of his 23 career touchdowns have come in the red zone). He can pull down deep balls, which Maye thrives at.” Doubs in 2025 led the Packers with five end zone targets and 17 inside-the-20 targets. He could have some touchdown-based upside in New England’s balanced offense in 2026. The Patriots could still acquire A.J. Brown in the coming weeks depending on the Eagles’ asking price. That move would likely make Doubs a distant WR2 in the Pats offense.

It is more than Mike Reiss predicted Chaisson would get in free agency, but he had to take a one-year deal to do it. Chaisson should be a starter on the edge for the Commanders, on the other side of the ball as Odafe Oweh. The defensive line has received a major makeover this tampering period in Washington.

The Pats were not strapped for cap space, but the move still frees up $3.9 million in cap space and only leaves behind a $1 million dead cap charge. Jennings set a career-low in defensive snaps in 2025 and does his best work against the run. He totaled two sacks last year and his best mark is 2.5 sacks. Jennings should be able to land a short-term contract on the open market.

The Patriots believe the asking price for Brown is too high, but they remain interested in the star receiver even after it was announced earlier that they had reached an agreement with Doubs on a four-year, $80 million contract. The combination of Brown and Doubs would give Drake Maye a much-improved duo over what he had last year in Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. AJB Watch will continue until a deal gets done, or the Eagles announce they are no longer interested in dealing him.