Between A.J. Brown and Mike Vrabel, Patriots Will Have Their Share of Off-Field News in 2026
When a team takes an offensive lineman late in the first round of the NFL Draft, that usually doesn't generate big headlines. The New England Patriots traded up three spots Thursday night, from 31 to 28, to draft Utah offensive lineman Caleb Lomu. A solid pick, sure. But the Patriots generated two major headlines Thursday, and they had nothing to do with their draft pick.
Eight picks before the Patriots got Lomu, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted USC wide receiver Makai Lemon - backing up the reports earlier in the week that Philly will be trading veteran wideout A.J. Brown to New England after June 1.
Offensive line clearly was a need for the Patriots after they were demolished by the Seattle Seahawks defense in Super Bowl LX, but there was a good value pick at receiver Thursday night if they weren't planning to acquire Brown. Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was still on the board - the New York Jets traded up to get Cooper with the 30th overall pick.
So it appears the Patriots will be adding Brown to the mix, and that's a good thing on the field. Brown has caught 524 passes for 8,029 yards and 56 touchdowns in seven NFL seasons. He's scored 32 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Eagles.
Of course, Brown's talent on the field comes with distractions. He's managed to stir up controversy in Philly, whether it's feuding with head coach Nick Sirianni, being unhappy with quarterback Jalen Hurts, or just doing a little light reading on the sideline during games.
A.J. Brown reading a book on the Philadelphia Eagles sideline mid-game is interesting. Wonder how quickly he gets traded to the New England Patriots after the season to be reunited with Mike Vrabel. pic.twitter.com/R9S4xqt42h
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) January 13, 2025
How will New England head coach Mike Vrabel handle any potential headaches with Brown? Well, he's now got a headache of his own to deal with.
The other big news Thursday concerning the Patriots stemmed from the tabloid scandal around Vrabel and former reporter Dianna Russini, formerly of The Athletic. Russini stepped down from The Athletic earlier this week, but continued to deny reports of an inappropriate relationship with Vrabel.
On Thursday, however, Vrabel held an impromptu press conference at the team facility to announce that he will not be with the team on Day 3 of the draft, because he is going to counseling and beginning the work to repair a damaged relationship with his wife and family.
"My previous actions don't meet the standard that I hold myself to," Vrabel said. "My priorities are my family and this football team, in that order. And there is a balance there that I am going to create."
Like it or not, this controversy will not go away quietly. Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2025 as he resurrected a once-proud Patriots franchise from the depths of back-to-back 4-13 seasons, leading them to a 14-3 record and trip to the Super Bowl in his first year on the job.
Sadly, that will not be the first thing fans think about when discussing Vrabel for the foreseeable future.
So now, a talented young team that should be a playoff contender for years to come will also be in contention for the most dysfunctional team in the NFL.
Throw in the controversy that percolated in January when neither Patriots owner Robert Kraft nor legendary coach Bill Belichick were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame - accompanied by rumors that Kraft was lobbying voters to keep Belichick off the final ballot - and these Patriots suddenly aren't exactly a feel-good franchise.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 5:45 PM.