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The countdown to June 1 has reached single digits.
In just nine days, the Eagles’ cap hit for trading A.J. Brown drops drastically, opening the door for the trade to the Patriots that has seemed inevitable all offseason.
While that should be mostly cause for celebration in New England, there should be a little bit of pause and a nagging whisper asking:
This is a league where No. 1 receivers are really hard to acquire. So why aren’t more teams after this guy?
There are fewer elite pass catchers than there are teams. And now the Patriots are set to pick one up for a down-the-road first-round draft pick. The latest rumors have them sending a 2028 first round pick to Philadelphia for Brown.
That feels almost too good to be true. Is it?
Between now and then, there will likely be rumors of other teams, maybe even mystery teams getting involved in conversations with the Eagles for the star receiver to make sure it doesn’t look like the New England and Philly have simply had a handshake deal done for months already.
But more than likely, at some point in the next two weeks, maybe Adam Schefter, perhaps Ian Rapoport is going to break the news that the Eagles and Patriots have come to an agreement that will send Brown to New England. There obviously could be a surprise, but everyone believes he’s headed to Foxborough because true competition hasn’t really emerged.
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It will end a waiting period that’s had all the suspense of a Christmas morning for a kid who has discovered where Mom and Dad hide the presents. They know what’s coming, they just have to wait and act a little bit surprised when it happens on Christmas morning, or June 1.
New England will hope this solves what’s been a glaring issue. One of the things that was clear at the Super Bowl was that the Patriots still needed pass-catching help. Seattle’s defense was outstanding, but the New England receivers’ inability to get open made them look even better than that.
But in the offseason the Patriots let 1000-yard receiver Stefon Diggs go. They didn’t draft a receiver. They signed Romeo Doubs, who looks like a fit, but at best, he replaces Diggs, leaving the Patriots still needing help.
Further down I-95, the Eagles traded up to draft USC wideout Makai Lemon. They traded for one receiver, Dontayvion Wicks, and signed two more, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore. These were the moves of a team clearly expecting to have playing time available at receiver.
While dealing Brown would open up cap space, it would leave a sizable hole in their roster that they’re unlikely to fill in time for this season.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is one of the best personnel guys in the NFL. Why does he think getting rid of Brown that much more valuable than keeping him?
The Colts, the Ravens, the Chiefs and the Rams are all in their championship windows. They could all use a frontline receiver. Why aren’t they more interested in Brown?
Is it his contract? Brown is expensive. Great receivers are.
Is it health? He’s had a degenerative knee condition, that he’s managed to play effectively through. But as he gets older, it could be a concern.
Is it his attitude or personality? Brown’s relationship with Philly QB Jalen Hurts has deteriorated over their time together. Brown and Nick Sirianni yelled at each other on the sidelines in front of TV cameras.
Brown criticized the Eagles offense as well as his role in it publicly last year and doubled down on the criticism when pushed about it.
“I don’t care if I’m misunderstood,” he said. “I’ll stand up in front of it and fall on that sword over and over again. It’s about doing what we’re supposed to be doing on offense. If we are really in this business, we’re trying to get better, we got to do what we got to do. And not just say, ‘Oh, it’s about wins.’ Like, ‘As long as we got the win it’s cool.’ No, you cannot do that. Not in this league. You’ve got to continue to get better. We’ve got to do what we have to do on offense to help the defense.”
Brown, Hurts and Sirianni each spent a lot of time answering questions about the team’s internal drama last year. It became a distraction, but during the season, all parties dismissed the idea that the relationships were broken beyond repair.
Last year, the Patriots brought in Stefon Diggs, who like Brown, had questions about his health, his fit and his relationship with quarterbacks. He turned out to be a steal and a big part of why New England was better than expected.
Brown could be a similar candidate to benefit from a fresh start with a good team. He has a higher ceiling, but is a bigger risk. Diggs only cost money and less of it. Brown has a big contract and a first-round pick isn’t easy to part with.
The Patriots would be crazy not to pull the trigger on this deal, but they should do it with crossed fingers.
It’s not a sure thing.
Outtakes from a busy week...
Vegas’ treatment of Bruce Cassidy is foolish
John Tortorella is a self-important clown who is among the most overrated coaches in NHL history. He’s hard to feel bad for.
But docking the Knights a second-round pick for skipping his postgame media session is a bit of an overreaction.
It’s hard to feel bad for Vegas given the way they’re screwing with Bruce Cassidy’s career though. They’re refusing to give other teams permission to talk to him about their openings. Cassidy was so bad that Vegas didn’t want him anymore, but he’s too good to let their rivals hire.
“We’ve been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup playoffs and the teams have respected that,” Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon said with a straight face.
It took him longer to read that statement than it would have to grant permission for the coach, who took the franchise to its greatest heights, a chance to continue his career.
It’s simply bad form from a franchise that’s becoming known for it.
The Bruins and Flyers didn’t block Vegas from talking to Cassidy and Tortorella when the Knights hired each of them.
The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus exposed the hypocrisy with a single question:
Berlin hoping to host an Olympics near the 100th anniversary of 1936
FILE - In this is Aug. 14, 1936 file photo, Jesse Owens competes in one of the heats of the 200-meter run at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Scars of World War II and relics from its Nazi past are preserved at Berlin's Olympiastadion. When Spain plays England in the European Championship final, they will be playing in a stadium that doesn't hide it was built by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympic Games. (AP Photo, File)ASSOCIATED PRESSBerlin announced plans to bid for an Olympics on or near the 100th anniversary of the games Germany hosted under Hitler.
If the event is designed to show how far Germany has evolved since that darkest period, that could send a good message. But Germany has hosted two summer Olympics and both have spotlighted some of the worst in humanity. They have to really stick the landing to get it right.
Hopefully, the United States would use a Berlin games to celebrate Jesse Owens. Owens, who was a track and field icon at those game, helped pave the way for Jackie Robinson.
Bruce Springsteen performs during the "Land of Hope and Dreams" tour at Madison Square Garden on Monday, May 11, 2026, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
The Top 5
Top 5 Bruce Springsteen Songs from this Century
In honor of him playing the Garden on Sunday, here’s a Bruce Top 5.
Nobody needs another list with Thunder Road, Born to Run, Backstreets etc. So I’m increasing the challenge.
5. “Land of Hopes and Dreams”
4. “My City of Ruins”
3. “Radio Nowhere”
2. “American Land”
1. “Into the Fire” - For me, the lines below are some of my favorites he’s ever written:
- “May your strength give us strength
- May your faith give us faith
- May your hope give us hope
- May your love give us love
This is simply my five favorites. Since I’ve been told I have odd taste, I solicited choices from other MassLive Springsteen fans too.
Expert help:
John Micek - The Rising"
Karen Guregian — “My City of Ruins”
Chris Mason — Personal favorite: Devil’s Arcade (with Terry’s Song as the hidden track). Best: The Rising.
Sean McAdam— My pick is “Sunday Love” from the Tracks 2 box set. This was part of an album he was working on around the time of Western Stars, and like that material, this is a different Bruce - pop crooner.
Real Jeopardy! Clue
Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date
CATEGORY: Expressions from the Sporting World - $1000
Date: May 15, 2026
Salvage a tough situation, & you may hear the Marv Albert catchphrase this “& a beauty”
— Answer below
Today in Massachusetts Sports History
May 22
1942 — Ted Williams is officially sworn into the U.S. Navy starting a much-decorated career as a fighter pilot.
1988 — Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins trade shot for shot in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals. Wilkins finished with 47 points and Bird had 34, including 20 in the fourth quarter. The Celtics escaped 118-116 to advance to the conference finals.
Lightning round
- If the trivia question was, which NFL franchise is the most likely to have a player spend a month in jail this summer, it wouldn’t have taken me two guesses to get to the Chiefs.
- The NFL now has an official peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Makes you wonder how the league functioned when everyone had to just make their own.
- Wilyer Abreu was never a top 100 prospect. Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Andrew Benintendi, Yoan Moncada, Manuel Margot and Anderson Espinoza were all ranked in the top 20 at one point.
- The Bruins got lucky that Jeremy Swayman had last year’s Team USA squad in front of him as he rediscovered his game at the World Championships. This year’s crew doesn’t seem likely to medal.
- Who will retire first: LeBron James, Alex Ovechkin or Aaron Rodgers?
- More likely to be playing in Boston in 2028? A.J. Brown? Jaylen Brown?
Real Jeopardy! Question:
What is kick save?
Finally...
Happy National Road Trip Day and National Craft Distillery Day to those who celebrate.
More Friday Outtakes
- Celtics’ feel-good season is one loss away from becoming a legacy-staining disaster
- For Boston fans, the best week of the sports year is here
- After calling James Hagens up, Bruins need to give him a long leash
- Major League Baseball should use ABS on every pitch or not at all
- With Brazil & Mbappe at Gillette, World Cup dress rehearsal was a bucket-list event
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