The Patriots made their big swing this offseason by landing A.J. Brown, a move aimed at fixing a thin wide receiver group and giving Drake Maye a real difference-maker as he heads into a critical third season.
That’s the backdrop as Eagles fans have started claiming victory in the deal before Brown has even played a snap in New England. Their latest talking point comes from Madden 27 wide receiver ratings, with Anthony Miller of Inside the Iggles pointing to DeVonta Smith being ranked ahead of Brown as proof Philadelphia came out on top.
"One interesting fact about the list is that Smith got himself a 92 overall in the game. What was Brown's Madden rating? That's not known because he was not in the top 100, with Smith only getting beaten by six other NFL wide receivers in overall rating," Miller wrote.
" Anyone who watched Eagles football last year could clearly see that Smith was the better receiver, and Madden 27 sees it too. This means the Eagles got it right by finally completing the trade and getting the first-round pick fans were wanting from him."
There’s certainly room for that opinion, especially with Smith coming off a strong season and no longer able to be treated as Philadelphia’s WR1. But from the Patriots’ side, the argument is simpler: Brown doesn’t need to be better than Smith for this to work.
If he gives Maye a dependable target every week, New England can call this a major win.
Maye’s top option last season was Stefon Diggs, and Diggs is no longer with the Patriots. That leaves Brown with a clear job as the new WR1, and the expectation is that he can deliver the kind of production he showed in Philadelphia.
The real verdict won’t come for a few more years. Eagles fans may be eager to declare the winner now, but if Brown helps the Patriots produce and keeps them among the AFC’s top teams, New England will have plenty of reason to view the trade as a success.
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