The New England Patriots' decision to trade a 2028 first-round pick for A.J. Brown this past offseason was risky. He was just about to turn 29 years old. He has dealt with a degenerative knee issue for most of his NFL career. And, obviously, New England gave up a real draft asset to acquire him.
So far, this decision is looking like a terrible one for the Patriots, and only time will tell if it gets better before it gets worse (spoiler alert: it likely won't).
A.J. Brown hasn't looked good, even when he is on the field
We are about halfway through the season, and Brown has played just two full games for the Patriots (he left the season opener early due to an ankle strain that sidelined him for the next four games). But not only has his lack of availability been a problem; he has been a shell of himself when he does suit up.
In three games with the Patriots, the Mississippi native has recorded nine receptions on 20 targets, 101 yards, and zero touchdowns. He has had way too many inexcusable drops, and he looked slow (the jury is still out on whether New England brought him back too soon or if this is an effort problem).
This is concerning for numerous reasons: 1) the Patriots took a...