New England Patriots safety Kevin Byard has urged Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown to join him in Foxboro, fueling ongoing trade speculation. Byard, who has played with Brown in Tennessee and Philadelphia, made the plea during an interview on CBS Sports HQ. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman insists Brown remains with the team, despite recent receiver signings.
Patriots safety Kevin Byard directly addressed A.J. Brown on camera, saying, 'A.J. Brown, come on to New England, buddy.' The three-time All-Pro, who signed with New England in March, played with Brown for three seasons with the Titans from 2019 to 2021 and briefly with the Eagles in 2023. 'He's a dog. He's a great teammate,' Byard said, noting they trained together this offseason in Nashville. Byard hopes a trade would help the Patriots fill their top receiver spot after releasing Stefon Diggs and aim for a Super Bowl run. Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf expressed openness to trades that improve the roster, including for Brown. Meanwhile, Eagles executive Howie Roseman repeatedly stated, 'A.J. Brown is an Eagle,' most recently on Tuesday and at the NFL Annual League Meeting on March 29. Despite Roseman's comments, the Eagles have added three receivers in six weeks: Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore, and Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers last week, bolstering depth. Brown has stayed unusually silent amid rumors, unlike his outspoken 2025 season criticism where he called it a 'sh-t show.' Sources told CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones that Brown may expect a summer deal and avoids public pressure. Trading Brown before June 1 would cost the Eagles a $43.4 million dead cap hit, dropping to $16.4 million after, per Over the Cap. Jones wrote it would be a surprise if Brown starts training camp with Philadelphia. The Patriots remain the front-runner, potentially reuniting Brown with coach Mike Vrabel.
