The NFL Draft may be in the rearview mirror, but the New England Patriots are far from done shaping their roster. After making nine selections and signing 11 undrafted free agents, all eyes now turn to Foxboro—where the rookie class is set to arrive next week, and a potential blockbuster addition could follow just a month later.

That brings us to this week's #PostPulpit Mailbag, where one question is dominating the conversation: Should Patriots fans be concerned about acquiring A.J. Brown?

Reader DTW10 writes: "It seems AJ Brown is a Patriot. I'm a skeptic—maybe due to all the negative noise around him last year. But how did he actually perform? Was he still explosive? Did he have drops? And what's the knee situation?"

Let's break it all down, from explosiveness to durability concerns.

Explosiveness: Brown posted the second-lowest receiving total of his career in 2025, and his 1.96 yards per route run was a career low. While his average depth of target remained consistent with past seasons, the decline came from a sharp drop in yards after catch per reception and fewer missed tackles forced. In short, he wasn't the same game-breaking force we've seen in years past—but even a slightly diminished Brown is still one of the league's premier wideouts.

Drops: Surprisingly, Brown had just one drop during the regular season—though it came in the end zone during a three-point loss to the Chargers. However, the playoffs told a different story. In the Eagles' wild-card loss to the 49ers, Brown had two notable drops that loomed large. It's a small sample, but it's worth monitoring.

Knee Injury: Brown underwent cleanup procedures on both knees after the 2020 season in Tennessee. Later, during the Eagles' Super Bowl run in 2024, he had his knee drained multiple times. While he's generally been available, there are legitimate long-term durability concerns that any acquiring team must weigh.

Here's the bottom line: All of that sounds negative, but context matters. Brown remains a top-tier wide receiver even when he's not at his absolute best. Plus, his effort level was questioned at times last season—which could signal a bounce-back opportunity in a fresh environment alongside Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel. For the Patriots, surrounding their young quarterback with elite talent remains priority number one, and a move for Brown would be a major step in that direction.