MARCH 1: While rival clubs believe a package headlined by a second-round pick represents Brown’s “true” trade value, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler do not believe that will be enough to get a deal done. The duo confirms a first-round pick is a requirement, as Roseman is willing to move Brown but does not want to do so unless the offer is too good to pass up.
Fowler still sees the Patriots as a logical destination, despite a separate ESPN report suggesting New England may not be inclined to swing a trade featuring high-end draft compensation.
FEBRUARY 27: With wide receiver A.J. Brown regularly sharing his frustration over the Eagles’ offense last season, they reportedly listened to trade offers ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline. Brown is still an Eagle almost four months later, but questions regarding his future have not subsided. As the offseason gets underway across the NFL, Brown continues to look like a legitimate trade candidate.
A late-December report indicated the Eagles could look to move Brown this offseason. Around two weeks later, the Eagles’ season ended with an uninspired offensive showing in a 23-19 wild-card round loss to the 49ers. Brown and head coach Nick Sirianni got into a memorable sideline dust-up in the first half, though the coach downplayed it afterward.
[RELATED: Patriots Interested In Brown Trade]
It was also a rough evening on the field for the 28-year-old Brown. On the heels of his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, he caught just three of seven targets against the 49ers. Brown dropped two passes and accounted for a meager 25 yards.
When meeting with media on Tuesday, Sirianni did not “guarantee” Brown would return to Philadelphia for a fifth season. General manager Howie Roseman acknowledged that “you go into the league year listening to offers for everything and anything.”
Although Brown had his problems with the Eagles last season, Roseman is not inclined to ship out the three-time Pro Bowler/second-team All-Pro for cheap. One NFL executive told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer he heard that Roseman is seeking a first- and second-round pick in return. Whether that is realistic remains to be seen, but the Eagles are expected to make a decision by March 9, sources told McLane. That would give Roseman clarity on Brown’s future heading into the new league year.
Although there is plenty of smoke around a potential Brown trade, Roseman will keep him if he doesn’t receive a tempting enough offer, according to McLane. If Brown is still an Eagle next season, he will count an affordable $23.39MM against their salary cap. On the other hand, trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room. Meanwhile, an acquiring team would have to take on what’s left of the three-year, $96MM extension Brown signed before the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign.
Holding off until after June 1, as the Falcons did when they traded Julio Jones in 2021, would point to a more favorable financial situation for the Eagles next season. They would still have to spread his dead money over two years ($16.35MM in 2026 and $27.1MM in ’27), but they would free up $7MM in breathing room in 2026. Despite that, it does not appear the Eagles will wait that long to map out Brown’s future. By the sounds of it, Roseman will either get rid of Brown in the next 10 days or the wideout will stay put.