July 16, 2026, 5:37 p.m. ET
The New England Patriots traded for A.J. Brown ahead of the 2026 NFL season, giving third-year quarterback Drake Maye a new No. 1 receiver with whom to work.
And already, things appear to be trending in the right direction between the 23-year-old quarterback and his new target.
Maye was asked about his work with Brown thus far over the six weeks since the Patriots acquired him from the Philadelphia Eagles.
“It has been awesome,” Maye told reporters at his FlexWork Sports camp on July 16. “I’m really looking forward to playing with him.”
“I’m looking forward to getting to camp and building some chemistry,” he added. “And I know there’s already some there for me. You just gotta throw it near him and he’ll make a play.”
Chemistry was a big talking point with Brown during his final season in Philadelphia. He was asked point-blank about his chemistry with quarterback Jalen Hurts after logging just 14 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown over the season’s first four weeks.
Brown insisted nothing was awry and that the two were “always working to get on the same page.” Even so, the veteran receiver was often critical of the Eagles’ offense, which sputtered at times during the 2025 campaign under Kevin Patullo’s leadership.
None of those potential pitfalls are yet rearing their head in New England, as it appears that Brown and Maye have gotten off on the right foot for what the Patriots hope will be a fruitful relationship.
“He’s a great teammate,” Maye said of Brown. “He’s been great so far, and he loves to win. So, we share that.”
