A.J. Brown joins Patriots in major trade reunion with coach Mike Vrabel

The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to trade star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2027, according to ESPN.

The move reunites Brown with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached him during his time with the Tennessee Titans.

Brown, 28, is expected to become the top receiving target for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye as New England continues to reshape its offence.

Following confirmation of the deal, Brown thanked Philadelphia and its supporters in a message posted on Instagram.

"Playing for this city has been an honor, and I'm thankful for every moment I had in midnight green. Thank you, Philly. Much love always. God bless," he wrote.

The Eagles have spent the off-season preparing for Brown's departure, adding several receiving options and gaining valuable salary cap flexibility by completing the trade after 1 June.

Speaking about the decision, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said: "I think that when we looked at the totality of the circumstances and having the conversations we had with him, felt like where we were, where we were going, where he was, that if we could find something that kind of achieved our goals of getting a first-round pick going forward here in the near future, getting the money back to spend on other players on our team and other teams and it was a win-win situation based on where he was and how he felt, we were open to that."

Brown has recorded more than 8,000 receiving yards and 56 touchdowns during his NFL career.