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A.J. Brown Surprisingly Low Patriots' Cap Hit Simplified originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are maybe ten real superstar wide receivers in the NFL, and the New England Patriots were able to land one on Monday afternoon after an expertly crafted trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
One would assume that a player of A.J. Brown's caliber would come with a lofty cap hit, but surprisingly, that could not be further from the truth.
The Eagles are going to be hit with more than $43.3 million in dead cap space over the next two seasons, due to the signing bonus proration built up during his time in Philadelphia.
New England has several options for handling the rest of Brown's contract. Frankly, it will depend on how many more pieces the Patriots add before the season starts.
All numbers are courtesy of Spotrac; as of June 1, the Patriots have more than $40 million in cap space remaining, with Brown's cheapest option currently assessed.
If the Patriots decide to go forward with Brown's current deal, completely unaltered, he will have a cap hit of just $7 million in 2026. Yes, $7 million.
Now forgive me, as NFL cap discussions can get incredibly bogged down. I will do my best to put it in terms that I know my father would understand.
Brown is owed $27.45 million from the Patriots this year.
New England's first option is this: They can convert that $27.45 million into salary and pay it out right with the addition of a $1.3 bonus for a grand total of a $28.75 cap hit. This option would make sense if no more deals can be done over the offseason to add talent to this roster. In other words: they have the cap space, might as well use it.
New England's second option is this: They can pick up the option built into the contract by Philadelphia in 2024 (which is what 9/10 teams would do) and pay out his $27.45 million over the course of five years. This would result in a measly $7,040,000 total cap hit in 2026, which climbs to $10,966,000 in 2027.
If the Patriots decide to take the cheaper option, Brown will be on the books until 2033, with his $96 million contract being spread out through void years.
The Patriots are likely committing to Brown for two seasons, with a potential extension/restructuring coming in 2028.
Assuming the Patriots take the cheaper option -- which most teams do -- Brown's cap hit in 2026 will be $7.04 million, his cap hit in 2027 will be $10.97 million and his cap hit in 2028 will be $17.88 million.
New England can get out relatively scot-free in 2028, having only paid Brown $49 million total for two seasons, but would have that $49 million spread out over several years.
More NFL: ESPN Projects Big 2026 Numbers For A.J. Brown After Patriots Trade
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