A deal involving A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots may not happen during NFL Draft week. But don't mistake that for things cooling off.
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League sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter the Patriots remain firmly in the mix to land the star wideout from the Philadelphia Eagles. In fact, the expectation around the league is that talks will pick back up soon and could ultimately lead to a deal.
The timing matters here. Brown carries a $40 million cap hit, and waiting until after June 1 would allow that number to be split across two seasons. That's a big reason why both sides have held off on finalizing anything.
Still, the groundwork has already been laid.
The Eagles have shown a willingness to move Brown, especially after adding depth at receiver this offseason. Meanwhile, the Patriots have made their interest clear and are expected to circle back in a serious way once the calendar flips.
"They'll definitely be engaging then," one source said.
Philadelphia is also believed to be open to future draft picks rather than anything tied to this year's class, which could help smooth negotiations.
Nothing is done yet. Another team could always jump in. But as things stand, multiple sources around the league believe the most likely outcome remains the same.
A.J. Brown in New England just might be a matter of when, not if.
