A.J. Brown Hasn't Talked to Jalen Hurts Since the June Trade to New England

A.J. Brown confirmed the thing everyone in Philadelphia suspected: he and Jalen Hurts haven't spoken since the June trade that shipped Brown from the Eagles to the Patriots. Asked point-blank whether he'd talked to his former quarterback, Brown gave a one-word answer — no. Four seasons together, a Super Bowl ring, and now a clean break.

The move ends a partnership that produced real production, including Brown's 78 catches for 1,003 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025 across 15 games — good for 220 PPR points and a WR11 finish at the position in our rankings. He heads to New England ranked #47 overall (#11 at WR) in our current board, which tells you the market still respects the talent even after a change of address.

Brown didn't want to litigate why he wanted out. He said he's focused on where his feet are now, that his history with Philadelphia will always be love, and that he won a ring there. When a reporter pushed on the Hurts relationship, he laughed it off, called Philly media tough, and asked for something positive. Translation: he's not touching the split publicly, but the lack of contact says plenty.

What It Means on the Field

For New England, Brown walks in as the clear alpha receiver — a target-hog profile the Patriots have been missing. His last five games of 2025 ran +4 fantasy points above his season average, so he wasn't fading down the stretch; if anything, he was heating up as he headed out the door.

The question is volume and quarterback play. Brown's ceiling in Philly was always capped by an offense that leaned run-heavy and spread targets around. A fresh depth chart could actually free him up for more looks, even if the passing environment isn't as clean as Hurts-to-Brown at its peak.

The Fantasy Fallout

Brown is a buy-low candidate, plain and simple. Drafters are docking him for the team change and the uncertainty, which is exactly how you get a proven WR11 (2025 actual) at a discount. If he locks in as the No. 1 in New England, the target share alone justifies a mid-round WR2 price with WR1 upside.

The bigger domino is Hurts. Losing your top perimeter weapon matters, and Hurts already showed some late-season wobble — his last five games of 2025 came in at -5.3 fantasy points versus his season average. That said, his floor is built on rushing: 421 rush yards and 8 rushing touchdowns in 2025, on top of 25 passing scores and zero interceptions, added up to 315 PPR points and a QB7 finish in our rankings.

So Hurts isn't a sell — the legs keep him locked in as a top-10 fantasy quarterback regardless of who's catching passes. Whoever emerges as Philadelphia's new lead receiver becomes the sneaky beneficiary here, so keep an eye on that pecking order in camp.

Bottom line: draft Brown with confidence at his depressed cost, keep Hurts as a comfortable QB1 who leans on his rushing floor, and monitor Philadelphia's receiver room for a value target nobody's talking about yet. The silence between the two ex-teammates is a headline. Your lineup decisions shouldn't hinge on it.