Framework ‘In Place’ For A.J. Brown Trade?
MAY 31: While the term “framework” is a bit nebulous, and while Breer did concede the Eagles and Patriots still have to hammer out all of the trade details, a fundamental issue in these protracted talks appears to remain unresolved. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (video link), the Patriots are still not “overly crazy” about giving up a first-round pick (presumably, this refers to a 2028 pick as well as a ‘27 choice).
Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald spoke with various sources about fair compensation in a Brown swap and received differing opinions. One source called Brown a “declining asset” and argued a Day 1 choice was too rich, while another pointed out that the Broncos had to give up a first-rounder to acquire Jaylen Waddle, who is less than two years younger than Brown and who does not have the same history of production.
Fowler suggests attaching a condition to a draft pick or even an arrangement in which Philadelphia sends a pick back to New England could help push the negotiations over the finish line.
MAY 30: There has been no shortage of coverage for the situation concerning Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and a potential offseason trade. At this point, it’s become widely accepted that the team will ship Brown off to New England, but they will wait until after June 1 to do so. Well, in the latest development from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com), there’s belief that “the framework is in place” for the trade to occur this week.
To run through a brief timeline, following several incidents that seemed to paint a picture of an unhappy Brown in Philadelphia, reports emerged near the end of the 2025 NFL season that the Eagles would consider trading the three-time second-team All-Pro they had acquired four years ago after sending a first-round pick to Tennessee. By the time the season had ended and a new champion had been crowned, even Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni hinted at the future in telling the media that he couldn’t guarantee Brown would return for 2026.
One of the two teams that made it to Super Bowl LX — the one that fell just short of the season’s ultimate goal — expressed early interest in Brown, linking the former Titans wideout to his former head coach in New England. The Patriots were not alone in their pursuit, though, as the Bills, Ravens, and Rams emerged as teams to watch for the veteran pass catcher. The Bills seemed to remove themselves from the conversation, though, after successfully acquiring former Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore and a fifth-round pick in exchange for a second-rounder.
The Rams reached out to Philadelphia, and trade talks progressed to the point that Los Angeles began exploring the idea of trading away veteran wide receiver Davante Adams. It was rumored that talks with the Rams had progressed even further than the Eagles’ discussions with New England, but ultimately, Los Angeles was ruled out as a potential trade destination for Brown.
With the Rams out, a few other teams were rumored with little substance, but interest out of New England remained a constant, even after the team made a strong move to improve its receiving corps by signing former Packers receiver Romeo Doubs. Veteran wideout Stefon Diggs also expressed interest in re-signing to stay with the Patriots as a free agent, but adding another big contract to that position room was something the Patriots were only willing to do if they missed out on Brown.
At first, the Eagles had intentions of completing some solution for the situation with Brown before the start of free agency, but as time went on, it became clear that the team intended to wait until after June 1 to make a trade happen in order to avoid incurring massive dead cap figures. Any trade before that date would shoulder the team with $43.45MM in dead money, and Brown would still account for $20.06MM of their cap space for the season. A post-June 1 trade would still leave Philadelphia with $16.35MM in dead money, but it would also clear $7.04MM in cap space.
With this realization, it was considered to be “inevitable” that Brown would be traded once June arrived. As if to emphasize that point, Philadelphia approached the 2026 NFL Draft with the mindset that it would not have Brown for 2026 and walked away from the first round having drafted USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, a clear replacement for the departing veteran. With the Eagles set, the only question that remained concerned Brown’s future home and compensation.
Expectations continued to point to the Patriots as the likeliest other participant in the inevitable exchange, but New England seemed to balk at the idea of utilizing a first-round selection to acquire Brown. The Eagles’ initial ask was for a first- and second-round package (specifically, with a first-rounder in 2027), though Brown’s value was perceived to be more like a packaged headlined by a second-round pick. Two days ago, it was reported that the Eagles and Patriots were still negotiating but that Philadelphia had opened its mind to accepting a 2028 first-round pick.
In our latest update from Breer, he clarifies that the exact terms and conditions of the deal may still need to be hammered out, but with the framework in place, he asserts that it “would take somebody backing out” for the trade not to occur. At this point, it would be a surprise if a team backed out, so all signs are pointing to Brown becoming a Patriot early in the coming week.
Eagles Rookie Markel Bell Could Challenge For Swing Tackle Role
The Eagles boast one of the more-talented, highly regarded pair of bookend tackles in the league with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Philadelphia still opted to utilize a Day 2 pick on the position, and doing so has the potential to address two things moving forward for the Eagles.
With Johnson having just turned 36 years old with two years remaining on his contract, third-round rookie Markel Bell could be the plan as the heir apparent to Johnson if the Eagles opt to move on from the All-Pro right tackle. In a more immediate purpose, though, Bell could wrestle the role of swing tackle away from veteran incumbent Fred Johnson. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, with Lane Johnson not currently present at Organized Team Activities, it’s been Bell, not Fred Johnson, benefitting from first-team reps in his place.
Bell found his way to third-round draft status after landing at Miami (FL) through the JuCo route. After two years at Holmes Community College (MS), Bell committed to the Hurricanes and earned a swing tackle role in his first year. He arrived in Coral Gables a bit raw, boasting elite size in his 6-foot-9, 350-pound frame. After a year in the Hurricanes’ system, he earned a starting role as the blindside blocker opposite first-round teammate Francis Mauigoa. He hasn’t quite found his ideal body composition and his lower body movement could use work at the next level, but Bell boasts the size, strength, and length of an NFL tackle with surprising mobility and athleticism.
Fred Johnson, a former undrafted free agent out of Florida, has done good work to stay in the NFL over the past seven years. Initially signing with the Steelers after falling out of the 2019 draft, Johnson was claimed by the Bengals when Pittsburgh waived him midway through October of his rookie year. In two and a half seasons in Cincinnati, Johnson appeared in 23 games, earning seven starts. After a year in Tampa Bay, Johnson signed with the Eagles, with whom he’s enjoyed a three-year stint as the team’s swing tackle, appearing in 51 games and starting 14 of them. Over the past two seasons, though, in those 14 starts, Johnson has not graded out favorably, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
So, with Bell getting tapped to fill in as the starting right tackle in place of Lane Johnson in OTAs, he’s gaining experience at right tackle that will benefit his ability to fill in on either side of the line, and he’s getting valuable experience on the first team offense that could give coaches an idea of his potential to start in future seasons. If he continues to get looks over Fred Johnson moving forward, he could establish a role as the Eagles swing tackle in his rookie campaign.
Eagles, Patriots Still Negotiating A.J. Brown Trade; Philadelphia Open To Accepting 2028 First-Round Pick
The countdown to June 1 continues as it pertains to an A.J. Brown trade. The swap ending his Eagles tenure is still expected to take place and send him to New England, but there is work to be done between those two teams.
An official Brown-to-New England move is not guaranteed to be in place when it is first feasible to be finalized, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network cautions (video link). Brown’s contract will be far easier to absorb after June 1, something driving the lengthy waiting period before clarity emerges in his case. Rapoport confirms the Patriots remain the expected destination for Brown, 29 next month, so a reunion with head coach Mike Vrabel continues to loom.
Philadelphia and New England have not yet agreed to the price of a Brown trade, per Rapoport and The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson. Anderson adds a swap of picks may wind up taking place once the trade is official. A Day 1 selection continues to be sought out by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Especially if the Patriots wind up agreeing to meet it, it will be interesting to see if draft capital attached to Brown and his contract gets sought out by New England.
The Eagles discussed a Brown trade prior to last month’s draft, but their attention ultimately turned to next year’s edition. The 2027 class is held in very high regard (especially compared to this year’s), and that factor is no doubt driving part of New England’s hesitation to part with a first-rounder next year. Roseman has shown a willingness to take draft picks two years into the future as part of a trade, however. That could come into play in this case.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes the Eagles discussed a 2028 first-round pick when speaking about a Brown trade earlier this offseason. That conversation took place with a team other than the Patriots, he adds. The non-New England market on this front has been largely quiet, although the Rams have been mentioned as a suitor. Nevertheless, Los Angeles is now seen as being out of the running for Brown.
Across his four years with the Eagles, Brown racked up 5,034 yards and 32 receiving touchdowns. The three-time Pro Bowler helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LIX, but his level of satisfaction within the team’s offense in general and his on-field relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts in particular increasingly became a talking point over time. Indications from the team and Hurts have pointed to a separation being expected relatively soon. It still remains to be seen if trade terms can be worked out with the Patriots over the coming days, however.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/27/26
Wednesday’s minor NFL transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: TE Max Tomczak
Cleveland Browns
- Reverted to IR: CB DeCarlos Nicholson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Jackson Sirmon
- Waived: CB Jeremiah McClendon
New York Giants
- Waived: G Reid Holskey
New York Jets
- Signed: T Courtland Ford
- Waived: LB Kendrick Blackshire
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Brandon Hayes
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Trayvon Rudolph
It’s a family reunion in New Orleans, where Sirmon will join the position room coached by his father, Saints linebackers coach Peter Sirmon. The two worked together in a similar manner when Peter served as inside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator at Cal. Jackson spent the first two years of his career on the Jets’ practice squad as an undrafted free agent and will now head to New Orleans for Year 3.
After trading for wide receiver/special teamer Irv Charles earlier today, the Seahawks have waived Rudolph, an undrafted rookie, to make room on the roster.
Cowboys Move WR Parris Campbell To Reserve/Retired List
Parris Campbell agreed to terms on a reserve/futures deal to stay in Dallas in January. Four-plus months later, the former second-round pick looks to be leaving the sport.
The Cowboys moved Campbell to the reserve/retired list Wednesday, The Athletic’s Jon Machota tweets. The former Colts draftee spent the past three seasons in the NFC East — 2023 with the Giants, 2024 with the Eagles and 2025 with the Cowboys — but had been unable to make an impact. The Ohio State product will walk away after seven NFL seasons.
Signing a rookie deal worth just more than $4.7MM, Campbell nearly matched that with a one-year Giants contract in 2023. But a steady role eluded him in New York. The former Indianapolis slot receiver was on Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX-winning roster, playing in three Eagles playoff games (including the Super Bowl rout of the Chiefs), but was attached to veteran-minimum deals (or close to it) over his last two seasons.
Although Campbell did not catch a pass in Super Bowl LIX, he saw action on 16 offensive plays. The Eagles did not re-sign him following that conquest, and he made his way to Dallas soon after. The Cowboys signed Campbell to a one-year, $1.34MM deal in March 2025 but released him from IR with an injury settlement in August. Campbell, however, returned to the team in September and played one final game.
Campbell’s career will be best remember for a four-year Indianapolis stay. The Colts added him with the No. 59 overall pick in 2019, but injuries interrupted attempts to become a complementary piece around T.Y. Hilton (and then Michael Pittman Jr.). A knee injury preceded Campbell breaking his hand and foot as a rookie. A PCL injury then occurred in September 2020, ending Campbell’s second season. Campbell underwent foot surgery in October 2021; over his first three seasons, the slot player missed 34 games.
The 2022 season proved pivotal for Campbell. He returned to action and did not miss a game. While the Colts flatlined during their Matt Ryan–Jeff Saturday season, Campbell finished with 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns. Those contributions prompted a one-year, $4.7MM Giants offer. The 6-foot pass catcher did not pan out in New York, ending his lone Giants season as a healthy scratch, that season provided a notable bump in career earnings.
The Akron, Ohio, native totaled 1,063 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior with the Buckeyes, outpacing teammate Terry McLaurin that season. Campbell, 28, will retire with 123 NFL receptions for 1,117 yards and six scores. He earned just more than $10MM in seven seasons.
Eagles Eyeing 2027 First-Rounder For WR A.J. Brown; Rams No Longer Suitors
A.J. Brown will remain a member of the Eagles through at least June 1. A trade after that upcoming date is still expected, although an agreement between Philadelphia and Brown’s long-presumed next team does not appear to be in place.
[RELATED: Chiefs Have Not Pursued Brown]
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) the Patriots are still considered the likeliest team to swing a trade in this case. Negotiations have taken place throughout the offseason on a swap which would see Brown reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. To no surprise, though, the matter of the price in a trade is still unresolved.
The Patriots have not previously been willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Brown. Rapoport notes Philadelphia continues to seek a Day 1 selection in the 2027 draft, one projected to be much stronger than the class from last month’s event. New England’s preference, meanwhile, remains a lower price to finalize the trade. It will be interesting to see the Patriots’ efforts to avoid outbidding themselves ultimately result in an agreement relatively soon.
The Rams have loomed as a strong Brown suitor at times this spring. Rapoport adds Los Angeles was the three-time Pro Bowler’s preferred destination, but he will not be heading there. Despite the fact previous talks between the Eagles and Rams went further than they did with the Patriots, Rapoport confirms Los Angeles is no longer in the running for Brown. Once the Rams elected to retain Davante Adams, the expectation emerged that he would spend a second season with the team as a complement to Puka Nacua.
Both Nacua and Adams are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That led many to connect Los Angeles to wideout Makai Lemon ahead of the first round of the draft, but the Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall instead. The Rams’ decision on that front helped allow the Eagles to trade up to No. 20 and draft Lemon, their latest move to bring in a new receiver and help soften the impact of the long-anticipated Brown departure.
The Patriots currently have roughly $35.5MM in cap space. Absorbing the remainder of Brown’s contract – which runs through 2029 – should be feasible as a result. The possibility of trade talks picking up between Philadelphia and New England will make for an intriguing storyline with the window of opportunity for a swap opening soon.
Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell Will Likely Be Ready For Training Camp
Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell underwent shoulder surgery in March with an original projection to “probably miss most of the offseason” from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Fangio has since confirmed that timeline, indicating that the second-year defender is progressing well in his recovery but is not ready for the field yet. He could get onto the field for the end of OTAs or mandatory minicamp, per 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Barring that, he should be ready to go by training camp.
Philadelphia traded up to select Campbell with the 31st overall pick in last year’s draft. The 22-year-old stepped into a starting role right away with Nakobe Dean starting the regular season on the physically unable to perform list. He returned to bench in October when his veteran teammate returned to the field and started the last two games of the regular season after another Dean injury.
Campbell is now positioned to take over the full-time No. 2 linebacker job with Dean now playing in Las Vegas. However, until he is on the field, recent Day 3 picks Jeremiah Trotter and Smael Mondon will be in line for more first-team reps next to Zack Baun.
In other Eagles shoulder-related news, Fangio also said this week that defensive tackle Jalen Carter was progressing well through the team’s offseason program after undergoing surgery on both of his shoulders last year.
“I think his shoulders are fine,” Fangio said (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). “He’s had a good offseason of lifting. I think he started that earlier than normal for him and you can see the difference in that regard. I think he’s in a better spot now than he was.”
Philadelphia did not seem to have any concerns about Carter’s shoulders when he returned from surgery that sidelined him for most of December. He played 58 of the team’s 76 defensive snaps in Week 17, rested in Week 18 with other starters, and stayed on the field for 58 of the Eagles’ 60 snaps in their wild card loss to the 49ers. The team can still be cautious and manage Carter’s workload through the offseason, but at the moment, there is little reason to worry about his status.
Eagles’ Vic Fangio Planning To Coach At Least Two More Seasons
Vic Fangio‘s coaching career spans nearly five decades. He began coaching at the pro level in the USFL and started his NFL tenure with the 1986 Saints, overseeing New Orleans’ famous Dome Patrol linebacking corps as a position coach. He has since been a defensive coordinator with seven teams.
A head coaching stint in Denver transpired during a three-year stretch between Fangio’s long-running DC career, and he did not hold an official position in 2022 after being fired by the Broncos. But Fangio resurfacing with the Eagles in a consulting role brought a resurgence. After the Dolphins gave him more than $4.5MM to be their DC in 2023, the sides separated to lead Fangio back to his native Pennsylvania. Philadelphia then stormed to a Super Bowl LIX rout before returning to the playoffs in Fangio’s second season as Eagles DC.
[RELATED: Eagles Shift Cooper DeJean’s Role In Base Defense]
Fangio, 67, was linked to a potential retirement this offseason. He agreed to return for a third season as Philly’s DC, and a fourth should be considered likely. Fangio said (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman) he intends to coach “at least” two more years. The seasoned coordinator said he was not close to retiring this offseason.
Having 22 seasons in a DC role and three as a head coach, Fangio is one of the most experienced defensive leaders in NFL history. Winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles and helping the 2012 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII has Fangio among the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL annals. He oversaw Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills during his lengthy Saints stay and elevated the Bears’ defense into a top-ranked unit by 2018, providing a springboard for the Denver hire. Due largely to the Broncos’ issues finding a quarterback, Fangio did not experience much success as a head coach and has conducted one interview (with the Jaguars in 2022) for a head coaching role since.
Fangio’s Eagles consulting season made him a coveted DC candidate, however, and his first year back in Philly keyed an Eagles smothering of the Chiefs’ threepeat bid in Super Bowl LIX. Nick Sirianni does not call plays, highlighting his coordinators’ importance. Even as the Eagles struggled on Sirianni’s side of the ball last year, as OC Kevin Patullo appeared overmatched, Fangio’s defense ranked fifth in points allowed. That marked an eighth season in which a Fangio-led defense produced a top-five finish.
The Eagles’ effort to re-sign Jaelan Phillips failed, but the team traded two third-round picks for Jonathan Greenard during the draft. The team extended Jordan Davis and has Jalen Carter signed through 2027 via the fifth-year option. Fangio will have two All-Pro cornerbacks — DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell — to go with Seahawks import Riq Woolen at his disposal in coverage. It would be surprising if the veteran staffer did not have the Eagles near the top of the rankings in defense this season, and an Eagles team that has been unable to find OC continuity does not need to worry about losing its defensive boss in the near future.
Chiefs Did Not Show Interest In A.J. Brown Earlier This Offseason
The Chiefs‘ issues at wide receiver have impacted their offensive production during the mid-2020s. After Patrick Mahomes‘ 2022 MVP season, Kansas City’s offense has ranked 15th, 15th and 21st in scoring over the past three campaigns. An upper-crust defense helped cover for the team’s offensive issues en route to Super Bowls LVIII and LIX, but Kansas City’s recent attacks have not approached the stratospheric heights of the early Mahomes period.
Since the Tyreek Hill trade, the Chiefs have missed in the draft (Skyy Moore), in free agency (Marquise Brown) and via trade (Kadarius Toney) at wide receiver. The team’s DeAndre Hopkins trade brought regular-season success but next to nothing in the 2024 playoffs. Xavier Worthy has also been more of an auxiliary weapon than a higher-end option. The Chiefs will be counting on Worthy this year, as they have been unable to depend on their top post-Hill receiver — Rashee Rice — since a productive rookie season.
Rice has missed extensive time due to injuries and a suspension. His most recent stumble involved trouble on both fronts, with a recent probation violation leading to the strange situation where the fourth-year wide receiver is now recovering from knee surgery in a Dallas prison. The latest Rice issue has moved an extension off the radar for the time being, and given the oddity this surgery rehab now brings, the Chiefs’ top wideout may need more recovery time. After the team did not draft a receiver until Round 5 (Cyrus Allen), rumblings about pursuing veteran help have emerged.
The Chiefs are being connected to the Stefon Diggs market, and Hill — presuming he recovers from a severe knee injury sustained last September — would represent a logical fit. Each would require only money to land, whereas A.J. Brown would involve trade compensation.
Prying Brown from the Eagles is likely to require a first-round pick, perhaps in 2028, and the Patriots — perhaps with some outside threats — are viewed as the favorites to land the former Titans draftee. Brown, however, put the Chiefs on his destination list earlier this offseason. As it stands, the Chiefs may not have similar interest.
Kansas City rejected a Philadelphia overture on Brown earlier this year, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who notes the Chiefs “said no” to the Eagles on a potential trade opportunity. Brown included the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Chargers as desirable destinations. The lead Philly pass catcher does not have a no-trade clause, giving the team full control over his next destination (assuming the Eagles follow through with the long-rumored trade).
Brown is tied to a $32MM-per-year contract that features a full 2026 compensation guarantee and a $4MM guarantee in 2027. Brown being a six-time 1,000-yard receiver makes those figures reasonable (even considering his spree of role-related gripes), as the receiver market is now past $42MM AAV via Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s March extension. It is possible the Chiefs reconsider on Brown due to the latest Rice setback, but Breer doubts that will happen. The team has not been big spenders at receiver since trading Hill.
The Chiefs have never authorized a receiver contract north of $18MM per year (Hill’s 2019 contract). Though Kansas City was negotiating an extension with Hill in 2022, the Raiders’ Davante Adams extension (five years, $140MM) changed the equation. The Chiefs opted to cash out on Hill rather than authorize a near-top-market re-up. The team has kept costs low at receiver since, with Hollywood Brown’s two $7MM deals the top contractual commitment for the team post-Hill.
Diggs joined the Patriots on a three-year, $63.5MM accord last March, but only $16.6MM of that pact came guaranteed at signing. That proved notable, as the Pats cut Diggs before a 2027 guarantee was set to vest. Diggs will turn 33 later this year, which will limit his earning power. The Chiefs also have other FA options in the event they add a player here, which was a rumored possibility before news of Rice’s probation violation surfaced. Hopkins, Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen are also unattached.
With Rice on shaky ground regarding a long-term investment — as a franchise tag would be more logical even if he rebounds in 2026 — the Chiefs have Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Allen and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals signed beyond this season (Royals, however, barely played as a rookie).
The team pursuing Brown ahead of his age-29 season would bring in a multiyear option, while one of the 30-somethings in free agency may well only cover a 2026 rental. But it would also be costly. The Chiefs have traded two first-rounders for veterans under GM Brett Veach — for Frank Clark (2019) and in the Orlando Brown Jr. package (2021) — but more recently have been on the receiving end of such trades (Hill, Trent McDuffie). Kansas City, which has Travis Kelce on a year-to-year arrangement at this point, will certainly need more help at the position through a longer-term lens soon.
Eagles To Shift Cooper DeJean To Safety; Latest On Marcus Epps’ Role
Cooper DeJean soared to first-team All-Pro acclaim last season, earning that honor for his standout work as a slot cornerback. That will still be DeJean’s primary position, but the Eagles are introducing a wrinkle for the third-year standout.
Philadelphia intends to play DeJean at safety in base sets, Vic Fangio said Thursday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). This will mark a change for the Iowa product, who primarily served as an outside cornerback in the Eagles’ base defense last season.
The Eagles navigated issues at the corner position alongside DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell last season, but they made a move to address that spot in free agency. Riq Woolen joined the team on a one-year, $12MM deal. Woolen is now in line to play opposite Mitchell as a boundary corner in base sets, with the Eagles prepared to roll out a Mitchell-Woolen-DeJean trio in nickel packages.
While DeJean and Andrew Mukuba will start at safety when Fangio’s group plays in base — which assuredly will be less than the Eagles use sub-packages — the veteran DC said a competition will commence to determine who will play alongside Mukuba at safety in nickel looks. Marcus Epps, whose second Eagles stint will continue thanks to a one-year contract signed in March, may be the favorite for that role. Fangio said Epps will receive a strong look for the role.
The Eagles turned to Epps as a regular in their Super Bowl LVII season but did not re-sign either of their safety starters from that NFC champion squad. Epps and C.J. Gardner-Johnson relocated in 2023, with Epps joining the Raiders on a two-year, $12MM deal. After a season-ending injury in 2024, Epps signed with the Patriots last year. New England released him, upon request from the DB, and he rejoined the Eagles on a practice squad agreement soon after. This came months after Philly ended Gardner-Johnson’s second stint early, trading him to the Texans.
Epps, 30, started four games for the Eagles last season and played 33% of Philly’s defensive snaps. The former Vikings sixth-round pick is tied to only a $1.55MM contract for 2026. A regular role would give him a chance to secure better terms — from either the Eagles or another team — by the start of the 2027 league year. The Eagles lost starter Reed Blankenship to the Texans in free agency and traded Sydney Brown to the Falcons days later. That opens a spot alongside Mukuba, a 2025 second-round pick.
DeJean’s slot skillset will clear a path for Epps, though the Eagles also have Michael Carter II and rookie seventh-rounder Cole Wisniewski rostered. Veteran corner Jonathan Jones resides as insurance at that position, but DeJean will not have a challenger for his slot role thanks to two impact seasons coming out of the 2024 second round. The Eagles experimented with DeJean at safety during the 2025 offseason, but he has only logged two career snaps in a deep safety role.
The Eagles became the first team since the 2016 Broncos (Chris Harris, Aqib Talib) to land two cornerbacks on the All-Pro first team. Pro Football Focus ranked DeJean eighth among corners last season, when he notched his first two regular-season interceptions. DeJean’s Super Bowl LIX pick-six helped turn that game into a rout, and the Eagles will surely have extension plans for both he and Mitchell. For now, DeJean — who saw some safety action with the Hawkeyes — will do some cross-training before assuming an interesting 2026 dual role.