MARCH 14: While a Brown deal didn’t happen in the often active first week of free agency, his exit via trade is still seen “as inevitable,” according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio’s source claims the team could be “careening toward a potential cap mess in 2027” if Brown stays in Philadelphia for the 2026 season. It appears to be a question of when a trade will happen (before or after June 1), not if.
The aforementioned concerns of dead money still exist. But thanks to the Panthers keeping a massive Jaelan Phillips charge off Philly’s books, there is some belief in the building that the Eagles are more equipped to carry the dead money now, if they choose to ship out Brown before June 1. The advantage of doing so would be to give the personnel department a better idea of what the roster will look like in 2026. Plus, potentially acquiring 2026 draft capital in the trade could help the Eagles quickly fill the hole left by Brown’s departure. It’s a waiting game at the moment, but how long it lasts appears to be in the hands of the Eagles’ front office.
MARCH 13: The Eagles’ A.J. Brown trade talks are on hold for the time being. After engaging in “serious conversations” with the Rams and Patriots, the Eagles have decided to retain Brown for now, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. If a trade materializes, it won’t happen until around June, Russini adds.
Dealing Brown before June would come at a severe cost to Philadelphia. The Eagles would absorb a $43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for a receiver. They would also lose $20.12MM in cap room.
A post-June 1 deal would be reminiscent of the Falcons trading star wideout Julio Jones to the Titans in 2021. With Jones then entering his age-32 season, the Falcons dealt him and a sixth-rounder for a second- and a fourth-rounder.
In the event general manager Howie Roseman pulls the trigger then, the Eagles would spread Brown’s dead money over two years. While the Eagles would face a $16.35MM charge in 2026 and a $27.1MM fee in ’27, they would save $7MM on their cap next season.
Roseman has reportedly held out for a package consisting of at least a first- and second-rounder for Brown, but it does not appear anyone will bite before April’s draft. The Rams already dealt their original first-round pick away in acquiring former Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie last week. Los Angeles still has another first-rounder (No. 13 overall, originally Atlanta’s selection), and GM Les Snead has never been shy to ship out top picks for immediate upgrades. However, that may be too pricey for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Brown.
If the Rams do acquire Brown before the season, it would give them an embarrassment of riches at receiver. Head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford would have Brown, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as a trio for at least one season. While Brown is under contract through 2029, Nacua and Adams are on schedule to become free agents next year. In all likelihood, though, the Rams will work out a massive extension with Nacua before then.
The reigning AFC champion Patriots, meanwhile, are in line to keep the 31st pick. In heading to New England, Brown would reunite with Mike Vrabel, who was his coach in Tennessee from 2019-21. The two still have a strong relationship, but the Patriots have less urgency to meet the Eagles’ demands after adding former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $80MM contract in free agency.
If the Eagles are shutting down talks until the summer, other teams could enter the race for Brown by then. Aside from the Patriots, the three-time Pro Bowler’s wish list reportedly features the Bills, Chargers and Chiefs. None of those three clubs have pursued Brown with much gusto, but perhaps circumstances will change a few months from now.
Aka they want too much and no one will meet their asking price.
I mean yeah… That’s pretty obvious. That can be said for literally every player currently on a roster. No other team was willing to give up enough to pry them away.
They may lower the price a little after June 1 when the cap inplications are a little more favorable. They obviously needed to be blown away to trade him before June 1.
You mean that’s why trades don’t happen?
48 million dead cap space so you can trade a player you don’t need or want to ? This is exactly why you wait.
Then they keep him. It’s not complicated. They can ask for 5 first round picks if they want. Clearly, they are not determined to trade him no matter what.
Is anyone surprised? They’re not gonna just piss away $20 million. All they have to do is wait till June.
Still think he’s wearing an Eagles jersey this season and he’s moved next year.
Any fool who can read Spotrac knew the Eagles weren’t trading A.J. Brown.
I get cap penalties for cutting players to protect them bit I don’t understand why teams are hit with such crazy cap penalties for trading players in situations like this. The team isn’t happy, the player isn’t happy and another team would like to have him but the team with the unhappy player can’t resolve the issue for all without being severe penalized. I know it’s in the CBA to protect players but in some situations, it seems to hurt players. There should be clauses in place to protect everyone.
I do agree the penalty for trading players shouldn’t be as egregious as it is. Maybe releasing a player is the full dead money hit and a trade is 25-50%?
Howie – after June 1st you are going to have to take a late second round pick AND LIKE IT! LOL
I think since Howie isn’t gonna get his way they’re gonna do a wait and see approach and hope with more play action and pre-snap movement maybe AJ will have big games and decide he’s content.
Not saying that’s the best way, but looks like that’s what they may do. I really don’t believe they’ll use AJ to move up in the draft.
It would be rather ironic if the Eagles traded Brown on June 30 (his birthday) 🙂
With all of the cap craziness, I think the eagles should just hold onto him for one more year. And trading him to the Rams would be insane. Why would we trade him to a team that we’re probably gonna face in the playoffs? The best idea is to build the offense around him, which is the way it should’ve been. No excuse for a guy like him not getting 90 catches.
Bold prediction assuming Filthadelphia makes the playoffs.
Ah, giving the division to the Rams….don’t exactly count out the 49’ers in that division as the Rams are banking on a 38 year old QB with a bad back making it through the year….If Stafford goes down, there is little to no backup plan there regardless of the rest of their roster….so why not trade him to the Rams if they want to give up a 1st and 2-3rd rounder this year….
I miss the days when they’d have a million articles about Aaron Rodgers because there were no other topics people would click on
I’m so ready to be done with this story no matter how it ends.
The Eagles were talented enough to repeat as Superbowl champs yet they went into turtle play calling mode on offense.
Never throwing enough to their star WRs to develop a rhythm and never giving Barkley enough carries to break a long one.
Slamming your QB into the tush push pile head first will make him punch drunk before he’s 30.
This team is always drama central at war with itself.
And they weren’t nearly as effective with the tush-push as they were in past seasons. Their O-Line was worse and the officials started appropriately calling the false starts.
AJ Brown and a 3rd for Max Crosby
Then bring back Becton to provide depth on the o line. Leaves us needing to find a new WR1 to replace Brown and at 23rd in the draft I’d be praying we get Jordyn Tyson.
Probably need a WR3 having lost Dotson and that’s where I would look to fill with a vet on a 1 year deal like Christian Kirk or Hollywood Brown.
Offensively have Hurts and Barkley doing the most, but Smitty Tyson Kirk/Brown and a new looking TE room too. The o line remains strong.
Defensively Crosby would be massive up front with Carter. In the backfield there’s Mitchell, DeSean and Woolen. Baun in the middle and just crazy depth. There’s just problems all over the place for your opponents.
As for the Raiders you get a star WR1 who will get plenty of targets. Mendoza has a receiver to target, Jeanty is already there, Bowers already there and you just got Linderbaum at centre for protection.
Let me fix that headline for you…
More articles about Eagles trading WR A.J. Brown seen as “inevitable” 🙂
We don’t need that diva in New England.