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AJ Brown has already made a strong impression on his new team.
The New England Patriots’ newest wide receiver received strong praise from head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels on Tuesday. In fact, after watching Brown practice for the first time since the Patriots traded for him on Monday, McDaniels compared the star wideout to one of the greatest Patriots players of all time.
“There’s a power in the way he plays the game. … Maybe the closest I’ve seen is Gronk,” McDaniels told reporters, referring to former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. “This is a big guy.”
Gronkowski became synonymous with the Patriots’ physical identity during his career, dominating defenders with his size, strength and presence in the red zone. Gronkowski recorded 79 touchdown receptions in his nine seasons with the Patriots as New England hopes Brown can become the next big threat in the red zone.
Vrabel believes Brown can not only succeed in that role, but he also believes the wide receiver can bring a similar edge to New England’s offense that Gronkowski once did.
“I think he loves football,” Vrabel told reporters Tuesday. “I think he has a physical skill set. I think he has great body control. I think he’s strong at the catch point, but I also think he’s grown as a player and a wide receiver.”
Vrabel has seen Brown’s development firsthand. He coached Brown for three seasons with the Tennessee Titans, watching the 2019 second-round pick quickly blossom into one of the NFL’s top pass catchers. With the two teaming up again for the first time since 2021, Vrabel still has a unique understanding of what Brown can bring both on and off the court.
“Just the nuances of release versus print or play versus bracketed coverage,” Vrabel said. “[Brown] plays physical with the football and has been a productive and physical player.”
Brown’s ability to overpower defenders while still creating separation has made him one of the league’s toughest matchups at the position. That type of talent has helped Brown log six 1,000-yard seasons in his first seven years, reaching that threshold again in 2025 in what many believed to be a down season for the former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver.
Vrabel believes those traits could help lift the Patriots’ offense moving forward as the team looks to make another Super Bowl run in 2026.
“I’m just excited to add the player,” Vrabel said. “I know the football team is looking forward to having him in training and getting used to it and how it looks today.
For Brown, the reunion with Vrabel and officially being traded to the Patriots still hasn’t fully sunk in. He described the move as feeling almost like “heaven”, capturing how surreal the moment has been now that it has become a reality.
“I’m just trying to take it all in as much as I can,” Brown told reporters. “Obviously I got back to work quickly, but there are levels to it. I enjoy it. Obviously, I know this isn’t heaven, but it’s close.”
