High-Stakes Trade Gambles Fail to Pay Off for Patriots and Rams
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Injuries to A.J. Brown and Myles Garrett have left New England and Los Angeles reeling after aggressive offseason acquisitions.
The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams are facing stark realities after blockbuster June 1 trades for superstars that have yet to yield results, as Sports Illustrated first reported.
New England sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown. Despite the investment, Brown has appeared in only three games due to a high ankle sprain and ongoing degenerative knee issues. In three contests, the 29-year-old has recorded nine catches for 101 yards without a touchdown. Sports Illustrated notes that the Patriots' receiver room has deteriorated, particularly after trading Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans and seeing former receiver Stefon Diggs score five times in six games with the Washington Commanders.
Similarly, the Los Angeles Rams acquired defensive end Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. In exchange for Garrett, the Rams sent defensive end Jared Verse and received Cleveland’s 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick, and 2029 third-round selection. Garrett played only one game—a 27–7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne—before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. In that debut, Garrett failed to record a sack, tackle, or quarterback hit.
While the Patriots sit at 5–3 and quarterback Drake Maye has returned to his 2025 form, the team has struggled to replicate last season's Super Bowl run. The Rams, who aimed to build a "super team" alongside cornerback Trent McDuffie, currently hold a 4–4 record and remain outside the NFC playoff picture, per Sports Illustrated.