AJ Brown might be going to the New England, but not immediately. Former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman on Thursday dropped a big hint amid reports of the AFC champs being interested in the 28-year-old Eagles star.
Where does the AJ Brown trade stand?
New England, the Super Bowl runner-ups, are well-suited for the trade. Reports indicate that the Eagles are waiting till June 1 to make a final deal. If Brown is let go before that, the Patriots would be up for a $43 million dead cap hit this season. Philadelphia would incur a $16 million in dead cap.
Julian Edelman fuels speculation
Speculation around the AJ Brown trade has taken on a life of its own, and this time, a social media post from a former Patriots icon has added fuel to the fire.
Julian Edelman shared a short clip featuring Brown from an earlier episode of the Dudes on Dudes podcast. In the video, Brown reacts with a subtle wink when Rob Gronkowski directly asks whether he plans to join the New England Patriots.
Edelman didn’t include any caption or explanation with the post, but that didn’t stop fans from reading into it. Many interpreted the clip as a possible hint that something bigger could be developing behind the scenes between New England and Philadelphia.
Patriots negotiation takes a hit
This comes as New England fans were disappointed after MassLive’s Karen Guregian reported that the team has hit a roadblock.
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“The Patriots and Eagles are engaged in a staring contest. While the expectation is they’ll eventually come to terms on a deal, whether it’s in the coming weeks, or after June 1, which is preferred by the Eagles for monetary reasons, it’s also possible another team will swoop in,” Guregian said.
AJ Brown vs Nick Sirianni
Weeks before any trade speculation began, Brown was involved in a heated sideline arguement with Eagles coach Nick Sirriani.
Brown and Sirianni bickered in a sideline spat that quickly forced chief security officer Dom DiSandro to intervene during the team’s season-ending loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The WR even ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled more in Sirianni’s direction.
