Patriots beat reporters throws cold water on possible Maxx Crosby, A.J. Brown trades
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Patriots beat reporters throws cold water on possible Maxx Crosby, A.J. Brown trades originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Fans of the New England Patriots are hoping to see some big moves this offseason as the team looks to make its way back to the Super Bowl in 2026.
Two players most commonly mentioned as possible acquisitions for the Patriots are Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, both of whom would fill needs New England has.
While it remains to be seen if those players are even available via trade, ESPN's Mike Reiss believes the Patriots won't be in on those players if the price reaches what the Dallas Cowboys got for Micah Parsons, which was two first-round selections and a player, defensive lineman Kenny Clark.
This was Reiss' takeaway after hearing head coach Mike Vrabel and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf speak while at the NFL Combine.
"While they will always listen to trade possibilities for big-name stars they believe would help the team, they don't view themselves as the proverbial 'one player away' from a return trip to the Super Bowl," Reiss wrote. "Thus, they are less inclined to send a Micah Parsons-type draft-pick haul (two first-round picks and a starting-caliber player) to another team for a veteran star."
"So while the possibility of acquiring the likes of Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby or someone of that ilk is tantalizing to consider, it seemed clear from the combine that the only way the Patriots would be involved in those hypothetical options is if the price is lower than last year's deal for Parsons," Reiss added.
Reiss' takeaway came as a result of these quotes from Vrabel and Wolf:
"The draft has to be the cornerstone of the team," Vrabel said. "We have to continue to draft well and develop because that's the only way you can sustain the success we envision."
"It's understanding where we are as a team, sticking true to 'Hey, maybe we need a little more depth here.' I think it's pretty common knowledge, we probably didn't go into the [2025] season expecting to win the AFC," Wolf said.
A.J. Brown, Maxx Crosby asking prices
Based on reports, the asking prices for both Brown and Crosby are very high, which is bad news for New England's chances of landing either one.
According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the Raiders are indeed looking for exactly what the Cowboys got from the Green Bay Packers for Parsons.
"Per a league source, the Raiders are looking for two first-round picks and a player for the 28-year-old edge rusher," Florio reported.
Meanwhile, the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan report that while the Patriots have had talks about a Brown trade, Philly's asking price is "unserious."
Based on Reiss' reporting, those prices are going to have to come down in a big way or else we don't see Crosby or Brown landing in New England in 2026, no matter how interested the Patriots might be.
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