NFL Draft Week Chaos: A.J. Brown Trade Rumors, QB Questions & More

There's usually not a ton of NFL news outside draft prospects in the week leading up to the draft, but 2026 is proving to be different.

We covered a trade between the Giants and Bengals yesterday, and have more news to discuss here today. Let's dive in!

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A.J. Brown Rumors

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier on Monday that the Eagles are still open to trading receiver A.J. Brown away. The team most interested is said to be the Patriots.

Schefter reported that a deal between the Eagles and Patriots is considered likely. Trade talks are likely to resume on June 1, or just before then.

It's weird to be reporting on a potential trade, because this stuff never really happens in the NFL. Let's briefly go over things here, then we can cover things in detail if it comes true.

Getting Brown would be a big boost to the Patriots as they look to improve on their Super Bowl appearance last season. They added Romeo Doubs in free agency, but still don't have a true No. 1 wideout. Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins are the other projected starters for the time being, with Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III as the top projected backups.

Brown would instantly become the No. 1 option on the team, and it would move Doubs to the No. 2 role, where he is more suited to fill. Depending on the return for Brown, guys like Boutte, Hollins, Williams, Douglas and Chism could get pushed further down the depth chart.

Don't forget that New England has Hunter Henry at tight end. Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are a 1-2 punch from the backfield.

That's a lot of mouths to feed, and Brown would need the most targets/touches, so it would at least slightly downgrade every other offensive playmaker for the Pats.

The big winner in the deal would be quarterback Drake Maye. He's got a solid offense around him now, and adding Brown to it could do wonders for the QB. 

Again, we'll cover things more in depth when/if a deal happens, but I'll be curious to see how New England approaches the draft with a possible trade for Brown coming.

In Philly, this is a blow to the team and its chances to do big things in 2026 and beyond.

It would lead to bigger roles for DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert on offense. Marquise Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore are some wideouts the team added this offseason, and Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Quez Watkins and Britain Covey are others on the roster.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles add more pass catchers in the draft, especially if they know Brown is leaving soon. We'll need to wait until after the draft and this potential trade to see who is set up best for fantasy success in Philly.

Losing Brown ups Smith's outlook, and the same goes for Goedert and some reserve wideouts, at least for now. Saquon Barkley might even be more involved, and maybe a backup RB like Tank Bigsby plays a bigger role too.

It hurts Jalen Hurts' stock, but maybe he runs more as a result, and he can earn plenty of fantasy points that way too, so it's not all doom and gloom for him.

Steelers QB Situation

Pittsburgh still hasn't heard from Aaron Rodgers on the quarterback's future, which is a concern with the draft just days away now.

Right now, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are the only quarterbacks on the roster. I'd be shocked if Pittsburgh doesn't draft at least one more guy, and then maybe sign an undrafted QB or two.

None of them are as good as Rodgers though, even as he nears retirement. Pittsburgh's offense would be much better off if Rodgers returns, and hopefully they have an idea on what Rodgers wants to do for 2026, otherwise it could be a long season for Pittsburgh.

The playmakers in Pittsburgh (DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and more) would be negatively impacted if Rodgers isn't brought back, and the team goes into the season starting Rudolph or Howard.

Right now, I think the Steelers' QB situation is one of the more notable storylines around the league, and it's definitely something to track as the draft opens up.

Another Giants Trade?

After trading Lawrence away, the trade rumors aren't done for the Giants.

Teams have been calling on pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants are saying that after the Lawrence trade that they would rather keep Thibodeaux.

He struggled last year, and is playing on the final year of his rookie contract. If the Giants aren't going to re-sign him, then trading him away makes the most sense, so I wouldn't close the door on a potential deal happening.

It could happen as soon as the draft, so it's something else to watch. If New York adds a few pass rushers in the draft, the trade chatter around Thibodeaux will only increase.

A lot of teams would love to invest in him, especially with his value a bit down, and his future uncertain with New York. It's another situation to monitor, and something we'd cover more in detail if something were to happen.

Niners Lock in O-Lineman

San Francisco signed offensive lineman Trent Williams to a two-year, $50 million deal. 

The 37-year-old has played in the NFL for 15 years, and is coming up on year 16. He's still a great talent, as his Pro Bowl and All-Pro appearances last year showed.

That means this is a big signing for the Niners, and especially quarterback Brock Purdy. Williams is one of the top lineman in the league, and his presence will help keep the off-and-on injured Purdy a bit more upright in 2026, and beyond.

Of course, having Williams around also helps out the run game, so Christian McCaffrey. A good tackle means a better offense, so this is a big deal for the Niners.

Williams might not be a fantasy football asset, but he impacts the outlooks and ceilings for a lot of players. Keep that in mind as you draft/roster Niners' players for 2026.

Cowboys Keep Their Kicker

Dallas re-signed kicker Brandon Aubrey to a four-year deal worth $28 million. That's the largest deal for a kicker in league history.

The numbers speak for themselves with Aubrey, who is a fantastic fantasy asset and can shift matchups with big kicking games. He did it several times last year, and will be the top kicker picked in 2026.

Most fantasy owners wait on a kicker until the last round or two of their drafts, but Aubrey is worthy of a pick earlier than that. I'm not saying to draft him outside a few rounds before your draft completes, but he's worth taking earlier, as he'll stick longer than most of the other picks going around him.

The signing is a big deal for the Cowboys, who now don't have to worry about their kicker until 2030, at least. Dallas is good enough offensively to support Aubrey, and his field goal range means he'll get more chances than most other kickers. 

Be expecting monster things out of Aubrey again in 2026.