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A.J. Brown #1 of the New England Patriots runs a drill during a minicamp at Gillette Stadium on June 09, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

The New England Patriots entered the 2026 NFL offseason as the clear-cut front-runner to acquire star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles.

While it took some time for the two teams to make it official, Brown was indeed traded to the Patriots. He now becomes the clear No. 1 target for rising star quarterback Drake Maye.

Last season, Mike Vrabel led New England to the Super Bowl. The team went from being one of the worst in the NFL to the runner up. Heading into the 2026 season, the expectations are high for the Patriots.

Acquiring a talent like Brown will give New England a clear boost in its Super Bowl goal. It’s a move that has drawn strong words from Patriots’ legend Rob Gronkowski.

Rob Gronkowski Has Strong Words About Patriots’ A.J. Brown Trade

In a story published on June 19 from Fox News’ Scott Thompson, Gronkowski didn’t hold back his thoughts on the trade.

“I think he’s going to be the X factor to put the Patriots back into contention of being in the Super Bowl,” Gronkowski said.

“I mean, it’s so hard to claim you’re going to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl. But I would say he’s the X factor of getting them in contention of being Super Bowl contenders again.”

Gronkowski didn’t stop there. He continued on, doubling down on his thoughts about the Brown trade being an X-Factor move for New England.

“That’s all you can ask for going into the preseason. That’s all you can ask for going into the season, there’s no doubt about that. To go back to the Super Bowl, you’ve got to upgrade your roster, and no doubt A.J. Brown is the upgrade that they needed.”

What Will A.J. Brown Bring to the New England Offense?

At the end of the day, there are few wide receivers in the NFL better than Brown. He has been among the NFL’s best for years.

Last season with the Eagles, the 28-year-old wide receiver had a bit of a down year. He played in 15 games and caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.

Over the last four years with Philadelphia, Brown hasn’t recorded less than 1,000 receiving yards. He was a consistent star for the Eagles. Now, he’ll bring that same talent and impact ability to a fresh and more healthy situation with the Patriots.

Hopefully, Gronkowski’s opinion ends up being correct. Brown very well could be the missing piece that powers New England back to the Super Bowl. This time, the Patriots will look to come out on top and exit the 2026 season as NFL champions.