Welcome to the AFCE, AJ Brown!
My take:
The positive: AJ is an incredible upgrade for Maye. He will help the QB immensely in year 2. The Patriots did NOT have a WR capable of stretching the field, the way AJ can. Their success relied on some crazy passes by Maye, and that is not sustainable. Brown, together with Doubs, will immediately improve this O. AJ is also familiar with the HC, as the two have already worked together. This move gives the Patriots a shot at repeating as divisional champs.
The Negative: AJ Brown has been a lousy locker room guy in Philly for the last two years. He didn’t get along with either OC and QB. Something that a WR has to do, in order to be the focal point of that O, as he wanted to be. These traits scare me. Yes, he worked with Vrabel, but that was when AJ was a youngster in the league. Now his head has grown in size, and he is NOT the same person he was at TEN. The other concern for me is his age together with his health issues. Patriots will need to manage his snaps to keep him around all season. But, does he accept sitting a few plays a game?
Final Thoughts: After playing in the SB last season, the Patriots have to keep improving. Not sure anyone including HC believed they would have had the success they had in 2025-6. Clearly, to keep improving, you have to get more players, and Brown has played in SBs. Overall, hard to argue with the Patriots in making this trade, not every day you can get your hands on one of the top WRs in the league.