A.J. Brown has become one of the louder talking points around New England Patriots training camp, and a joke about Drake Maye is what set off the latest round of debate.
The line making the rounds came from a viral post quoting Brown as saying, “They’re not really letting him throw the ball right now, so I don’t like that,” while talking about the Patriots’ early camp workload for Maye. Some people took it as a shot at New England’s coaching staff, but the original interview showed Brown was saying it jokingly as he discussed the team’s practice plan.
That didn’t stop the reaction online from getting heated. “This moron is a locker room problem,” one user wrote.
Another pushed back with, “Left out the part where it says he said it as a joke, cope some more LMAO.” A third chimed in, “Let me know which wide receiver in the whole entire NFL would like that.”
The bigger picture, though, is that Brown’s comments about Maye have mostly been complimentary. At mandatory minicamp, he called Maye “a true leader of men” and praised how well the quarterback reads defenses, blitzes and offensive adjustments despite being so young. Brown also said Maye “can make any throw.”
That’s the thread running through this whole story: Brown and Maye are still building chemistry, and observers have liked what they’ve seen from the two of them during offseason work. Brown has consistently been upbeat about the partnership and has shown plenty of encouragement toward the young quarterback.
Brown’s past in Philadelphia is part of why this kind of comment catches fire so quickly. He left the Eagles under less-than-amicable circumstances this year after four seasons there, and when he cleared out his locker, he left a crude message behind at the facility. After he was gone, he also admitted he was behind several of the damaging leaks from last season.
Even with all of that baggage, Eagles fans would still have to acknowledge what he brought on the field. He was one of the key pieces in their run to the Super Bowl in 2024.
In Other News...
Patriots Camp Just Sent A Troubling Message About The Receiver Battle
Training camp has only just opened, but the Patriots are already making the kind of roster moves that tend to tell you where the real battles are. New England claimed rookie wide receiver Kobe Prentice off waivers from the Panthers, a move that came with a corresponding release of first-year offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez, and the team also added tight end Jeremiah Franklin and Gabe Jacas as it continued sorting through the early camp mix.
For a receiver group trying to establish itself under Mike Vrabels staff, the timing matters. The Patriots have been busy with fan events, practice sessions and a round of press conferences from Vrabel and team executives, yet the more revealing news has come in the personnel churn around the bottom of the roster. Adding Prentice gives the group another young name to watch, and the fact that New England felt the need to keep adjusting the board this early suggests the competition at receiver is already getting tighter than anyone would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Dropped An Early Roster Clue Fans Will Obsess Over
Mondays training camp walkthrough gave a quieter look at the Patriots roster picture after two faster-paced practices, but even in a lighter session, a few pecking orders stood out. Lan Larison kept working as the third running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, which is the kind of early camp detail that usually matters more than the drill itself.
At receiver, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III continue to rotate in the fight for what appears to be the next depth opening behind the established top options. The tight end group is also worth watching, with Tanner Arkin getting meaningful reps as the Patriots sort through the fallout from Julian Hills season-ending injury and try to settle on who can handle the next layer of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Romeo Doubs Is Already Facing Pressure In Patriots Camp
Romeo Doubs arrived in New England with a chance to carve out a real role, but the early returns in camp have been uneven. Through offseason workouts and the first two training camp practices, the receiver has looked like he is still getting comfortable in Josh McDaniels offense, with route adjustments and the timing of reads still a work in progress as he tries to settle in alongside Drake Maye.
The bigger issue for Doubs is that the competition around him is not standing still. DeMario Douglas has been handling the slot work, Kayshon Boutte has looked ahead of him on the boundary, and the Patriots have not even reached padded practices yet, which means the pace is only going to pick up from here. With preseason games approaching, Doubs has time to close the gap, but he also has to show he can turn a slow start into something more convincing before the depth chart hardens. [Read more 🡒]