The NFL calendar is in that weird summer lull where nothing real is happening but everybody still needs something to argue about. That’s when the position rankings drop. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put out his list of the top receivers in the league, and the guy the Patriots just traded for — A.J. Brown — landed at No. 9.
Last year he was No. 5. So yeah, he slipped. But considering how dysfunctional the Eagles offense was in 2024, maybe the drop says more about Philadelphia than it does about Brown.
Down year or just a bad situation?
Brown’s numbers last season weren’t terrible by normal standards. But by his standards? They were a step back. The guy who averaged over 1,400 yards his first two years in Philly finished with 1,079. The offense was a mess. Jalen Hurts looked off. The play-calling was questionable. Brown himself didn’t hide his frustration, and there was plenty of chatter about tension between him and the coaching staff.
One NFL coordinator told Fowler that the drama and the perceived decline are overblown. “Drama from his time with the Eagles and the perceived half-step of decline aside, Brown is still a top-10 receiver,” Fowler wrote. “NFL evaluators recognize that, as he appeared on around half the ballots. Just listen to how one coordinator describes how Brown will help New England in 2026.”
Brown appeared on roughly half the ballots, which tells you the voters are split. Some see the dip. Others see the talent that’s still there.
McDaniels knows how to use a guy like this
The Patriots aren’t just hoping Brown bounces back. They’re betting on a specific system. Josh McDaniels is back as offensive coordinator, and he’s got a track record with alpha receivers. In Davante Adams’ first season with McDaniels in Las Vegas, Adams put up 100 catches, 1,516 yards, and 14 touchdowns.
Brown can do that. He’s got the same kind of ability to win in tight spaces. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, no receiver in the league has more catches (88) or receiving yards (1,812) on tight-window passes — less than a yard of separation at the ball’s arrival — since Brown entered the league in 2019. That’s a skill that doesn’t disappear because your quarterback had a bad year.
What a real bounce-back looks like
The Patriots aren’t going to be Super Bowl contenders overnight. But if Brown returns to form, it changes the entire look of that offense. They’ve got a young quarterback in Drake Maye who needs a reliable target. Brown, at his best, is more than reliable. He’s a game-wrecker.
Maybe the ranking at No. 9 is fair given last season. Or maybe it’s a gift. If Brown plays like he did before Philly imploded, New England got a top-5 receiver for a discount price and a motivated player with something to prove.
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