00:00But I want to begin with some news out of Philadelphia, a story that Joe and I have discussed a
00:07lot, followed quite closely, and looks like it is really coming to a head here as A.J. Brown, according
00:16to Adam Schefter, is likely to become a Patriot following June 1st.
00:22For those that are maybe playing a little bit of catch-up or just trying to completely understand, there's just
00:27a lot of language in these NFL contracts that June 1 triggers different numbers.
00:33And for Philadelphia to trade A.J. Brown today is a lot more expensive than it would be to trade
00:40him on June 2nd.
00:42And that has led to us, or led us to believe, that A.J. would be traded not until June.
00:50But that did make things complicated, right?
00:52Teams want to know if they're going to have a player of A.J.'s caliber before a draft.
00:59And in a lot of cases, Philly would probably want to have picks this year, Joe, instead of kicking it
01:04down the road.
01:05That may not be how that plays out.
01:08But it almost feels as if, and maybe they're not allowed, I don't know, to report it until June, you
01:16know, call it 2nd, right?
01:18But it feels like we know A.J. Brown is done in Philadelphia and a New England Patriot.
01:28Right.
01:29So let's start with the Patriot side.
01:31We saw that game philosophy and game script play out in the Super Bowl.
01:35Lack of speed on the perimeter.
01:37And Drake May was battered early and often.
01:40He now is the number one taken over for Stephon Diggs that got released at the end of the regular
01:47season.
01:47But here we are, Kevin.
01:49A.J. Brown significantly upgrades the passing attack now.
01:53Is New England all of a sudden now going to throw it all over the yard?
01:57No, but at least they have a wide receiver that they can count on.
02:00And then those secondary pieces like Keyshawn Booty and some of the others now fit, right?
02:07It's more of a much cohesive type of offensive unit.
02:12For Philadelphia, they got rid of A.J. Brown strictly for the sideline antics and for the locker room.
02:20And if this team is going to be headed back to the Super Bowl, you and I discussed it.
02:24It has nothing to do with the physical attributes because he's clearly the number one wide receiver in that offense.
02:32What happens is when he's not fed the football, whether the team is winning or not, doesn't become the main
02:38concern for A.J. Brown.
02:40And that's where when you look at this coaching staff and you now have a new offensive coordinator and you
02:46have a quarterback in Jalen Hurts that struggled last year.
02:50You want to make sure that every player and everybody in that locker room is on the same page so
02:56that now you can compete for an NFC championship.
02:59The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles won five, six, seven straight and A.J. Brown wasn't happy is absolutely ridiculous.
03:08So to Joe's point, there was a three-week run where A.J. Brown looked completely himself.
03:15Twenty-four catches, 342 yards, and three touchdowns.
03:21The Eagles went 0-3 in those games.
03:23It was, you know, it felt like A.J.'s kind of quietest part of the season, if you will.
03:31A.J. still, in playing just 15 games, amassed five 100-yard games, a couple of multi-touchdown performances as
03:39well.
03:39I think for New England, the off-field stuff is less concerning because it's a fresh start for A.J.
03:51Brown, right?
03:52And I think the way things got in Philadelphia, I think some of that was maybe, I think there was
03:59some personal stuff, Joe, right?
04:01Like, I think maybe Brown and Hurts going way back, I think at one point maybe really close friends, maybe
04:08a frustration that came through a little bit where I think A.J. Brown will be on a much better
04:15behavior, at least off the, you know, the bat there.
04:18And New England needed a guy that felt a tear above.
04:24If you looked at the roster, especially with Stephon Diggs not on it, the wide receiver room is, I mean,
04:32borderline unacceptable for Drake May to go into this season.
04:36Romeo Dobbs, Kayshaun Booty, Pop Douglas, Kyle Williams, Mac Hollins, all fine players.
04:44Nobody you would consider a top 30 wide receiver in football.
04:49Not a one of those guys.
04:51I do wonder if A.J.'s best football is behind him.
04:57He's not 30 some odd.
04:59He'll be 29 at the start of the next league year.
05:02But I also think for a Patriots team who played in the postseason, played in the Super Bowl,
05:06I don't know if they're as concerned about getting six great years out of A.J. Brown as like two
05:12great years, Joe, out of A.J. Brown
05:15and making sure that Drake May stays on this trajectory as a top five quarterback in this league.
Comments