NFL - The Athletic on A.J. Brown
From the article
Last season with the Eagles, Brown ranked eighth in the league in yards per route run against man coverage, per Pro Football Focus (among receivers with more than 15 targets). The season before that, he was second in the category. The season before that, he ranked seventh. Brown, who is 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, and posted a 36 1/2-inch vertical leap at his scouting combine, gives the Patriots a big-bodied target in the red zone. Brown has 10 touchdowns in his last 18 games, even while dealing with frustration in a stagnant Philadelphia offense.
STACKED’s take
Elite man-coverage receiver acquired to unlock Patriots' zone-heavy QB strengths.
A.J. Brown was acquired by the Patriots to address a critical offensive weakness: the team lacked a wide receiver who thrives against man-to-man coverage despite having an elite quarterback (Maye) who excels in zone schemes. Last season with the Eagles, Brown ranked eighth in yards per route run against man coverage (among receivers with 15+ targets); he ranked second the prior season and seventh the season before, demonstrating elite consistency against man. The Patriots faced man coverage at the ninth-highest rate in the league last season, a rate that increased to third-highest after Week 8 as opponents adjusted. Beyond man-coverage prowess, Brown provides red-zone upside for the Patriots, who ranked 24th in red-zone scoring percentage and 17th in red-zone touchdown percentage last season. At 6-foot-1, 226 pounds with a 36.5-inch vertical leap, Brown offers the Patriots a big-bodied target in the red zone they have lacked. He has posted 10 touchdowns in his last 18 games despite playing in a stagnant Philadelphia offense, suggesting significant upside in a more dynamic Patriots system. Additionally, Brown's ability to demand bracketed coverage with extra safety attention should help the Patriots' rushing attack, which ranked 26th in rushing success rate last season.
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