A.J. Brown is already giving the Patriots plenty to be excited about

There isn’t a whole lot of stock you can put into performances during OTAs and minicamp.

There are no pads, no live contact, and practices are largely conducted at a lower tempo with an emphasis on teaching and installation.

Still, it’s hard to ignore the Patriots’ biggest offseason addition: A.J. Brown and his 6-foot-1, 226-pound frame.

“It’s hard not to get excited. What a player he is. And just to start off the bat, what a great teammate so far,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “He’s eager to learn. He’s great with the guys in the locker room. You just look forward to playing with a guy of the caliber. He’s been a great player in this league. He’s gone everywhere he’s gone. He’s been a guy that you see on SportsCenter the next day making plays and scoring.”

There was a glimpse of that SportsCenter highlight-reel ability on Day 1 of minicamp, when Brown elevated over cornerback Kindle Vildor, who was draped all over him, to haul in a back-shoulder touchdown from Maye.

That one play offered an early snapshot of the chemistry beginning to form between Brown and Drake Maye, who completed a league-best 72.0 percent of his passes last season for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns against just eight interceptions, while leading the NFL in passer rating (113.5) and QBR (77.1).

“You can tell they’re already developing that relationship,” said safety Kevin Byard, who spent three seasons alongside Brown in Tennessee, and reunited with him briefly in Philadelphia during the 2023 season. “Anytime A.J. is backside at X, I know that’s where the ball is probably going, so I try to cheat my alignments and stuff like that.”

There’s a reason the Patriots were willing to send a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to Philadelphia for the soon-to-be 29-year-old. Players of his caliber don’t come around often, and New England is banking on him opening up a new dimension in the offense and its third-year quarterback's development.

The three-time Pro Bowl and three-time second-team All-Pro has topped 1,000 receiving yards in six of his seven NFL seasons, and ranks fourth in the league in receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2019. Only Justin Jefferson (37) and Davante Adams (35) have more 100-yard games than Brown (34).

“We’re excited, obviously, to add a piece like that,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “A guy that’s very established in this league, who’s made a lot of plays. It’s really going to help this football team tremendously.”

“He can do everything. He’s got the size, he’s got the speed, he’s got the route running,” cornerback Christian Gonzalez added. “He’s seen a lot of ball, he’s played a lot of ball, he’s very smart. I mean, that’s anything you want at a receiver. Excited that he’s here.”

Brown is the type of receiver the Patriots have been searching for for years. Stefon Diggs did an admirable job last season, registering 85 catches, 1,013 yards, and four touchdowns while becoming New England’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019, but the Patriots moved on from the veteran in March.

Now, Brown gives the Patriots both immediate impact and a stabilizing presence moving forward.

The Patriots haven’t had a pass-catcher post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since Rob Gronkowski in 2014 and 2015. Brown, meanwhile, has done it in each of the past four years with the Eagles. New England has never had a player reach four straight 1,000-yard campaigns.

“The best thing about him is he’s been a winner. He knows what it’s like to win, and he adds just something in that room that we’re kind of looking for. I think that’s the best thing. I think Stef [Diggs] provided it for us last year, and there have been guys that are growing in the roles, but just coming in with that stature and his ability, his size, and just the respect that you walk in there with, that kind of Stef had, A.J. has got it too.”

Brown has fit in seamlessly. He’s been vocal on the sideline throughout minicamp, especially in support of his quarterback and fellow wide receivers, leaving a strong early impression that extends well beyond what he’s shown on the field.

“We talk in the locker room, we talk on the field. It feels like A.J. has been here since the start,” DeMario “Pop” Douglas. “It all seems normal. It all seems like he didn’t just get here.”

It’s only been a little over a week since Brown first put on a Patriots jersey, but the early returns are already enough to spark real excitement about what’s ahead.