Pats Pulpit
The quiet portion of the NFL offseason is nearly complete as the New England Patriots will soon open training camp. But following the last true week without football, this week’s version of our Sunday Patriots Notes is therefore a shortened one.
Naturally, there are always still a few things to talk about. So, let’s dive straight in.
Kevin Byard was teammates with A.J. Brown for three seasons in Tennessee. He saw first-hand the impact the wide receiver can make.
So much, he compared it to that of Justin Jefferson’s in Minnesota, who Byard matched up with four times in his last two seasons in Chicago.
“When I was in Chicago, we obviously played against a guy in Justin Jefferson, and, for the most part, you need to point out where Justin Jefferson was on every single play,” Byard said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s the same thing with A.J. When I’m lined up at safety, and I’m deep back there, 12, 14, 15 yards, whatever, I’m going to identify where’s A.J.? You know what I mean? Like where’s he at? Is he lined up way out on the boundary at the X? Is he lined up in the slot or whatever?
“Let’s identify where he is, and now I can kind of get a good base on, OK, this is where the No. 1 player is. The running back’s here; tight end’s here. So, it just shifts your philosophy on how you want to play defense.”
Even at age 29, Brown has remained one of the most productive wide receivers in football posting four straight 1,000 yard seasons in Philadelphia.
Now in New England, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is expected to move Brown around to pick mismatches. But, Brown will still do much of his work as a big bodied X receiver on the outside — where he showcased an early impressive connection with Drake Maye in mandatory minicamp.
“Do you play cloud over top over top of [Brown]? ‘Cause you don’t really want to leave him one-on-one,” Byard said. “I mean that’s what A.J. does best. He’s going to run those slants, those quick dig routes, those go balls. I don’t think anybody in the league is better than him when it comes to those routes and being able to break a tackle and take it the distance. So, he’s just a phenomenal athlete, phenomenal talent.”
Over the offseason break, Brown got together with Drake Maye and other Patriot pass catchers down in North Carolina. As the two continue to build their chemistry, New England hopes Brown’s presence will help Maye lead another top offense in 2026.
In ESPN’s recent top-10 positional surveys, A.J. Brown was ranked as the ninth-best wide receiver in football — for many of the reasons Byard explained.
“He changes the coverages people play, everything will be rolled his way, and it will lighten the box for Josh [McDaniels] to really get the run game going,” a coordinator said....
