New England Patriots
Given the price the Broncos paid to acquire Waddle, the Patriots might have to give up at least a first-round pick to acquire A.J. Brown.
Jaylen Waddle was traded to Denver in exchange for three picks, including a 2026 first-rounder. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
The good news? The New England Patriots’ defense doesn’t have to worry about slowing down Jaylen Waddle two times a season moving forward.
The bad news? Well, there are several for a Patriots team looking to build off a surprise Super Bowl run in 2025.
The Miami Dolphins continued their roster teardown on Tuesday — reportedly trading Waddle and a fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a first-round pick (30th overall) and both a third and fourth-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s a rough development for a Patriots team looking to establish itself as one of the top contending teams in the AFC.
After all, the Denver Broncos were the top seed in the conference in 2025 with a 14-3 record, and just got a whole lot better by pairing Bo Nix with another explosive receiver alongside Courtland Sutton.
Waddle may not have the same resume as other star wideouts like Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Justin Jefferson, and others. But he’s a 27-year-old receiver with three 1,000-yard seasons over his first five years in the NFL ranks.
But beyond one of the Patriots’ top hurdles in the AFC bolstering its roster, the price that Denver paid to pry Waddle out of Miami also stands as a concern for a New England club still looking to add a WR1 to its pass-catching corps.
Because if New England is remaining vigilant in its pursuit of Eagles wideout A.J. Brown, Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman now doesn’t have to look very far to find a comparable asking price for his best receiver in any sort of trade.
Based on Eliot Wolf’s musings last week, it seems as though New England remains on the prowl for elite talent this spring.
“We’ll explore anything that we think can help the team,” Wolf said of the team’s interest in Brown, adding, “I think the only real deadlines you have are, sort of maybe salary cap related. If, for instance, did we spend money in free agency that would take us out of something else? But, I wouldn’t say that there’s a deadline on trying to improve the team.”
Regardless of any fiscal implications that could preclude the Eagles from moving Brown until June 1 (significantly lowering Philly’s dead-cap hit in the process), it seems all but a given that Philly will stand firm on demanding at least a first-round pick and more for any team looking to take Brown off their hands.
Yes, Waddle is younger than Brown (turns 29 in June) and has a more palatable contract (signed through 2028, under $18 million in guaranteed money the next two years) when compared to Brown, who will command an average cap hit of $25.6 million over the next four seasons.
But Brown also has three Pro Bowl nods and six 1,000-yard seasons on his ledger. Even during a down year for Brown and the Eagles’ offense in 2025, he still reeled in 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Over the span of his seven-year NFL career, Brown has a 17-game average of 85 catches, 1,300 yards, and nine touchdowns per season.
And of course, for all of the talk of Brown’s discontent with Philly, an Eagles team right in the midst of its contention window doesn’t need to deal away Brown — not without a team meeting Roseman’s steep asking price.
That stance should be reinforced even further with what the Broncos paid to upgrade their offensive personnel on Tuesday.
New England might be content with playing the waiting game for a player like Brown, especially with the Patriots adding a bit more insurance by signing Romeo Doubs in free agency.
But any hopes of Philadelphia eventually lowering its asking price to, say, a second and fourth-round pick are likely all but snuffed out, given the current market for in-demand pass-catchers.
In an ideal scenario, the Patriots wouldn’t have to cough up a first-round pick for a player seemingly on the outs with his current club, like Brown and the Eagles.
But even if those fortunes might have shifted, New England still has the assets — and need — to make a compelling offer to Roseman and the Eagles.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
