Eagles All-Pro corner thinks A.J. Brown is even ‘better’ now with the Patriots
New England Patriots
“He looks a little better. A little faster.”
FOXBOROUGH — Quinyon Mitchell is no stranger to matching up against A.J. Brown.
The 25-year-old All-Pro cornerback was a teammate of Brown’s during his first two years in the NFL, with the talented Eagles defensive back routinely tasked with covering Brown in practice in Philadelphia.
Wednesday’s practice was a bit different for all involved.
Yes, Mitchell was once again lined up against Brown during drills. But, Brown shed his previous hunter green garb for a blue jersey — with the star wideout now battling against his former teammates as a member of the New England Patriots.
In his anticipated reunion against the Eagles on Wednesday, Brown showcased why the Patriots coughed up two draft picks (including a 2028 first-rounder) to pry him out of Philly.
On a morning when Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense routinely got the better of the Eagles’ first-team defense, Brown stood as a thorn in the side of his former team — reeling in seven of Maye’s 20 total completions during a competitive joint practice in Foxborough.
Mitchell has seen firsthand Brown’s talents out on the gridiron, with the dynamic wideout playing a key role in the Eagles’ run to a Super Bowl title during the corner’s rookie year in Philly in 2024.
But, on Wednesday, Mitchell acknowledged that the 29-year-old Brown seems to be rejuvenated with a new team — and a new QB in Drake Maye.
“He looks a little better,” Mitchell told reporters after practice. “A little faster. He’s a great receiver. He’s going to keep getting better. … He just gives you so many tough battles and tough assignments. It was really just great to go out there and compete with him again today.”
It didn’t take long for Brown and Mitchell to meet out on the practice fields Wednesday, with the first rep of Brown’s 1-on-1 drill coming against the All-Pro talent.
Brown nearly had the thousands of Patriots fans in attendance cheering as one after he blew past Mitchell on that go route. But, after Maye uncorked a deep pass down the field, Mitchell swatted the ball away from his opponent at the last second — negating a potential 40-yard play for New England.
“The crowd was going crazy. It was a great rep,” Mitchell said. “Great rep by him. Great rep by me. Just good on good. So I enjoy those battles. … He can really catch the ball well. He runs good routes. He made some plays today too.”
For what it’s worth, Brown had a different interpretation of how Mitchell covered him on that opening rep.
“Q got away with a little holding,” Brown said with a laugh after practice. “But I won, and he pulled himself back into play. I just got to finish the play. My right hand didn’t get to the ball quick enough. My left hand got on the ball, and that’s on me.
“Attention to detail, catching the ball high, not letting it get low — so those little things — so it was never about who I’m going against. It’s the little things that, you know, that could have been a 40-yard bomb.”
While a majority of the questions posed to Brown on Wednesday revolved around his dramatic exit from the Eagles and his relationship with Philly QB Jalen Hurts, Brown opted to take the high road after his four-year run with the Eagles.
“Philly, man. Y’all tough,” Brown said. “Man, it’s love. Listen, honestly, guys, none of that stuff even matters. You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative. Let’s not get into that. Let’s keep everything positive. It’s love my way. Just move forward. That’s all.”
As Brown looks ahead to his tenure on a Patriots team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, Mitchell’s comments bode well for a New England offense that would welcome another dominant season from the three-time Pro Bowler.
“We had a good day,” Brown said of New England’s offense on Wednesday. “You know, there will always be some stuff that we need to improve on, and no day is perfect. You know, no matter how successful today may look, it’s always something to improve on. And tomorrow we have to come out with the same intensity and continue to get better.”
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