Nick Sirianni: No Guarantee A.J. Brown Remains With Eagles
Trade talks involving A.J. Brown were expected to take place this offseason, and the Combine represents prime dealing ground. While the Eagles may not be shopping the accomplished wide receiver, this rocky partnership could be tested in Indianapolis.
Brown gripes about his role have been commonplace, and the Eagles’ 2025 season-ender brought a short sideline confrontation with Nick Sirianni. Although Brown has reeled off four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, his Eagles tenure is uncertain to reach Year 5. Considering the contract component, the Eagles would need a big trade haul to move on.
Sirianni confirmed both he and Brown want this partnership to continue, but the sixth-year Eagles HC stopped short of guaranteeing he would be back.
“As Howie [Roseman] said, it’s hard to get good players in this league. A.J.’s a great player, and A.J. is a good teammate, and A.J. is a good person,” Sirianni said, via ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. “Does he want to be here? Yes. Do I want him to be here? Yes.
“Will A.J. be here next season? I think we’re still in a spot, like, I can’t guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season.”
That certainly qualifies as coach-speak, but the Eagles may field some viable offers for a player who has grumbled about his place in an offense that just changed coordinators yet again. Sean Mannion replaced Kevin Patullo and will call plays in 2026. It would be unlikely Mannion would voice a strong objection to rostering Brown, but the former Titans draftee has voiced frustration about his role under Patullo and Kellen Moore.
Missing two games last season (only one due to injury), Brown saw his yards-per-game figure drop to 66.9. That marked a Philly-years-low figure. The Eagles have both he and DeVonta Smith on extensions, the latter a now-team-friendly three-year, $75MM deal. The team paid Brown a second time in 2024, giving him a then-receiver-record $32MM-per-year extension. That contract runs through 2029. As this is the Eagles, option bonuses comprise a sizable chunk of the contract. Moving on would be difficult from a dead money perspective.
Philly would absorb a receiver-record $43.45MM in dead money by moving Brown, who would generate no cap savings in a trade before June 1. If the Eagles held onto Brown and moved him after that date, a la the Falcons’ 2021 Julio Jones trade or last year’s Dolphins-Steelers Jalen Ramsey swap, they would save more than $7MM. That may be the only way out for Brown this offseason.
“I think you go into the league year listening to offers for everything and anything,” Roseman said. “If someone is going to give you something you didn’t anticipate and you won’t even have the conversation, I don’t think you’re necessarily doing your job or really servicing the team you’re with. Certainly, we’ve been in situations where there were guys we didn’t anticipate trading that we got an offer that was too good, and then you balance it with what you can get there.
“Without getting into specifics on any player, we’re always listening and we’re always kind of open. There’s very few things that I would shoot down without even hearing what that means, because how does it hurt to listen?”
Brown, 29 in June, prompted trade offers before last year’s deadline. The Eagles listened, though they informed teams the high-maintenance wideout was unlikely to be moved. A subsequent Brown-Jeffery Lurie meeting led to the receiver promising he would not air grievances through social media.
The Eagles discussed Dallas Goedert in trades last year but eventually reached a solution (via pay cut). No pay-cut move is coming here, but the team is far from certain to trade such an important piece of its offense in a Super Bowl window. Given the Brown contract’s structure, it is possible this saga will linger into the summer. But the Combine will give the Eagles an early window to hear what could be out there for their star pass catcher. A Brown trade later this year would certainly give Philly a major need, as a trade to acquire a replacement may be needed down the line.
Latest On Eagles’ Situation With WR A.J. Brown
It’s been just over a month since the Eagles’ season ended with a home loss to the 49ers that featured what appeared to be a heated shouting match between head coach Nick Siriani and wide receiver A.J. Brown on the sidelines. Despite late-season rumors that the team could consider the possibility of trading Brown in the offseason, it’s been all quiet on that front up to this point. It might not remain quiet for much longer, though.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, while “substantial conversations about his future have not yet taken place,” there are expectations that talks on the matter will “ramp up around the NFL combine.” With over 300 college athletes headed to Indianapolis next week for the NFL Scouting Combine, scouts and executives from every NFL team will be congregating to evaluate and speak with draft prospects. With so many personnel decisionmakers in one place, the combine has become a notorious event for teams to begin preliminary discussions on players that might be available for the right price. This allows front offices to gauge interest in players and determine which teams may be willing to enter conversations.
Until then, though, discussions on the possibility of Philadelphia dealing Brown have continuously pointed to the idea that, more likely than not, the veteran wide receiver isn’t going anywhere. Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com did a deep dive on the financial implications of cutting or trading Brown with four years remaining on his current contract. Cutting him makes little sense. Doing so now would only help the team avoid a nominal $4MM 2027 salary guarantee set to be triggered soon while still requiring them to cover his $29MM guaranteed salary for 2026, resulting in $72.45MM of dead money along with a loss of $49.06MM in cap space. A post-June 1 designation only slightly deflates those figures to $45.35MM of dead money with a $21.96MM cap loss.
Moving Brown in a trade is a bit more viable, due to the nature of how Philadelphia structures their contracts. Per Fitzgerald, the Eagles utilize option bonuses that cover “all of the salary for a player in a year except for the minimum that is mandated” by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This essentially functions in the same way teams use signing bonuses on restructures to pay players more in a given year while reducing their cap hit for the season. The deadlines for those options do hit until late in the preseason, so the team gets all summer to explore trade options for Brown.
Financially, trading Brown now would have similar costs to designating him as a post-June 1 cut. The transaction would result in $43.45MM of dead money with a $20.06MM cap loss. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, because of those costly figures, the Eagles would likely require some serious compensation in order to move him any time from now until June 1. Trading him June 2 or later finally starts to make some modicum of sense, as the dead money figure reduces to $16.35MM and $7.04MM of cap relief becomes a possibility.
With how difficult it could be to move Brown, there’s always a possibility that the Eagles resort to retaining the veteran wideout for the 2026 NFL season, and if Brown’s recent appearance on The Edge With Micah Parsons podcast is any indication, that very well could be where things are headed. Throughout the interview, Brown had only good things to say. When asked about the firing of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, Brown told host Micah Parsons that he had “the utmost respect for (Patullo),” going on to claim that “he did a tremendous job,” despite the offense racking up the ninth-fewest yards in the NFL. Brown even spoke on the future of the team. He started ambiguous, expressing his excitement “for the season” and “for what’s to come” but then laid out some team-oriented goals.
“As an offense, we just come back and just really watch tape and, like I said earlier, rediscover ourselves and go to work,“ Brown told his host. “We have great leadership in our locker room, and I’m fortunate to be part of it on offense. We do have a lot of talent, but talent gets us nowhere. It’s all about being detailed and disciplined.”
That all sounds nothing like a player making trade demands. That sounds everything like a player who has every intention of returning to run it back with his current team. There’s always a possibility that Brown realizes the financial restrictions his contract imposes on a potential trade and that acting like he has no intention of ever playing for the Eagles again would kill any leverage Philadelphia may need in order to accumulate the compensation necessary to make a trade worth the dead money and cap loss.
So, either Brown is playing the role of dutiful teammate to better his team’s chances of trading him or Brown is genuinely excited about his future with the team, and a trade might not be necessary. It’s hard to solidly get behind either theory at the moment, but more information may clear things up a bit once talks pick up at the NFL Scouting Combine next week.
Eagles To Consider Trading WR A.J. Brown In Offseason?
The Eagles were reportedly willing to listen to trade offers on wide receiver A.J. Brown in advance of this year’s deadline, though they were not prepared to deal him for anything less than a blockbuster package. Philadelphia could be more amenable to a swap this offseason.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hears from several executives that the Eagles may look to move Brown at some point after the 2025 campaign comes to an end. Fowler also says there would be a market for the three-time Pro Bowler, who will turn just 29 in June and who is due $50MM in cash over the next two seasons (an eminently reasonable sum for a WR1, considering the receiver market has now moved into $40MM/year territory).
Philadelphia presumably would like to retain Brown for his on-field abilities, though his play this season has not generated as much attention as his comments about his team’s offense. Brown has publicly expressed his frustrations with the Eagles’ Kevin Patullo-coordinated attack on several occasions this year, and those grievances and the reporting they beget must be taxing on the team’s locker room, in Fowler’s estimation.
Fowler acknowledges Brown’s teammates may understand his concerns. After all, the limitations of Philly’s passing game are apparent, and the offense as a whole ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in terms of both yardage and points after finishing in the top-10 in both categories in 2024.
Despite that, and despite Brown’s apology for at least some of his comments – along with the fact that he declined to publicly blame the embattled Patullo earlier this month – his well-documented complaints necessitated a meeting with owner Jeffrey Lurie back in November. It is therefore reasonable to think Lurie and GM Howie Roseman might entertain trade offers in 2026 after turning away prospective suitors last offseason.
Brown certainly has enjoyed an increased role in the offense over the past few games. After seeing double-digit targets just once in the first eight weeks of the season, he has hit that threshold in five of the Eagles’ last six contests (with the one exception being a 31-0 romp over the hapless Raiders). For the year, he has 73 receptions (on 114 targets) for 935 yards and seven touchdowns, and he is on pace to crack the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth time in his seven pro seasons (though his 12.8 yards-per-catch rate is a career-low).
If the Eagles trade Brown before June 1, they would lose roughly $20MM in 2026 cap space. They could save $7MM on next year’s cap by dealing him after June 1.
Eagles Shifting Blame Away From OC Kevin Patullo
9:45pm: Sirianni has taken on a larger role in offensive meetings this week, ESPN’s Tim McManus reports. Patullo has also been present, but it will be interesting to see if a heavier hand on the part of the head coach will yield the desired results against the Chargers. If not, the Eagles’ dynamic on that side of the ball will no doubt remain a major talking point.
2:28pm: Coming out of their Week 6 bye, the Eagles felt good about their season, winning two more games against some top competition in the NFC right out the gates, but concerns were really starting to build amidst some struggles on offense. Naturally, much of the initial external blame fell to offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, but head coach Nick Sirianni was quick to defend the first-time play-caller. 
Sirianni has reportedly not been alone in his support of the first-year coordinator. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, even recently challenging wide receiver A.J. Brown has stood up, vocally, behind Patullo. When asked if a coaching change might improve the team’s recent offensive struggles, Brown called it a “crazy question.” Staying in line with the veteran receiver, the sentiment appears to be constant throughout the locker room, as Garafolo claims to see no signs of mutiny from the players.
Instead, the team has had a series of what they’ve called “no-BS discussions” in anticipation for a Monday night trip to Los Angeles, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The objective of these meetings has been to put an end to the blame game, to “stop pointing fingers.” Instead of pinning fault solely on missed throws from quarterback Jalen Hurts, the health and execution of the offensive line, careless, undisciplined penalties negating big plays, or simply, the play calling from Patullo, the team has been forced to reckon with the fact that all of these issues plaguing the reigning Super Bowl champions have jointly contributed to the offensive struggles amidst this two-game slide.
In addition to some group accountability, Sirianni hinted that actual adjustments are still happening behind the scenes. “Everything was being evaluated,” the head coach told media earlier this week (via Zach Berman of The Athletic). “We’ll think about some different things, what we want to do, scheme, everything.” The fifth-year skipper declined to go into detail on just what adjustments fans may expect to see, claiming that it probably wouldn’t “benefit” him to share.
It remains to be seen whether or not these adjustments or the team’s ability to hold everyone accountable will improve an offense that ranks 20th in points scored, 24th in total yards, and 22nd in rushing yards after ranking seventh, eighth, and second, respectively, in those categories last year. After this week’s showdown with the Chargers, a trip to Buffalo remains the only true test as a home matchup against the Raiders and a home-and-home with the Commanders should give Philadelphia a decent opportunity to get into a rhythm before the postseason.
Latest On Eagles, A.J. Brown
NOVEMBER 16: Brown met with owner Jeffrey Lurie during practice on Thursday, ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio reports. The conversation – arranged by security chief Dom DiSandro – resulted in Brown promising he will no longer air his grievances on social media. His discontent with the offense was repeated to Lurie, though, so this storyline will remain one to watch
NOVEMBER 15: At 7-2, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles are once again among the NFL’s premier teams. It hasn’t been a drama-free start, though, as three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown has expressed frustration with the Eagles’ offense throughout the campaign. Although Brown has been integral to their success, the Eagles reportedly listened to offers for him ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. As expected, they ended up keeping him.
While it wasn’t pretty, Philadelphia pulled out a win in its first post-deadline game in Week 10, taking a 10-7 decision against the Packers. Quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted Brown just three times, connecting twice for 13 yards. Brown has caught three or fewer passes in three of his eight games this year and finished with fewer than 30 yards four times. That’s shockingly low for someone who has averaged 83 catches and 1,292 yards per 17 games during his six-plus years in the NFL.
On the heels of his latest quiet performance, Brown made his discontent known on a video game stream earlier this week (via Tim McManus of ESPN).
Asked if things were going well, Brown said: “I mean, no. Where have you been? Family is good. Everything else, no. It’s a s—show.”
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni then addressed Brown’s comments, saying: “I’m close to being done answering these questions with this. He’s working hard and he is a big part of this game plan [for Sunday’s game against the Lions] and he’ll be a big part of the game plan going forward. He’s working like crazy when he’s here, and I’m excited to have him.”
Brown further discussed his irritation on Wednesday and confirmed he made the comments on the video game stream. The 28-year-old made it clear that he’s frustrated with Philadelphia’s offense as a whole, not just his usage, and wants to win (via McManus).
“It’s been week after week sometimes we’re not doing our job on offense,” Brown stated. “You can’t keep slapping a Band-Aid over that and expect to win late in the year and think you’re going to go to that at the end of the year.”
Led by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and a historically great season from running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles finished 2024 seventh in yardage and eighth in points. Moore left after the season to become the Saints’ head coach, leading the Eagles to promote pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo as his replacement. The Patullo-led attack has fallen to 12th in points and 23rd in yards. Barkley’s production has plummeted, while Brown is on pace for a career-low 867 yards.
Meanwhile, already with 16 touchdown passes in nine contests, Hurts is on track to breeze past the 18 he put up in 15 games last year. Hurts has also thrown just one interception while posting a better completion percentage, a better passer rating, and a better QBR than 2024. Only two teams have thrown the ball less than the Eagles, though, and “multiple offensive players have grown frustrated” over Hurts’ approach, especially while facing zone coverage, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Those unnamed players (it stands to reason Brown is among them) are of the belief Hurts has become hesitant to go downfield or throw into tight windows, which has made him too reliant on checking down and scrambling.
Hurts and the Eagles will face another NFC Super Bowl hopeful, Detroit, in one of the best matchups of Week 11. Already a must-watch game, the drama surrounding the Eagles’ offense makes it even more intriguing. Regardless of how the rest of the 2025 campaign goes for the Eagles, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see general manager Howie Roseman give further consideration to trading Brown in the offseason.
Eagles Could Address Pass Rush Before Trade Deadline
Since the start of training camp, the Eagles have already made seven trades as part of their efforts to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and according to multiple NFL sources, if a front office phone is ringing, chances are high that general manager Howie Roseman is on the other end looking for more. Atop the NFC East by 2.5 games with top performers at multiple positions, there is one area at which Philadelphia could see serious improvement. 
Per Zach Berman of The Athletic, “the obvious spot to watch” in Philadelphia is edge rusher. After losing top sack-getter Josh Sweat to free agency in the offseason, filling out the edge has been a focus of the front office. The Eagles didn’t sign a single multi-year deal in free agency but still added a few potential high-ceiling names in Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. There were quite a few options in the draft, as well, and the team made an intriguing selection on Day 1, trading up a single spot to draft Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
In overall team rankings, Philadelphia has been pretty middle-of-the-road with its overall pass rush. Per Pro Football Reference, the Eagles’ 16 sacks are tied for 19th in the league, and the defense is 17th in overall pressures with 58. Many of these are not coming from the edge, though. Making up 10 of the team’s 16 sacks, are two defensive tackles, Moro Ojomo (4.0) and Jordan Davis (3.0), and inside linebacker Zack Baun (3.0). The team leader in quarterback hits is defensive tackle Jalen Carter (9), and Ojomo (6) is third on the team with Davis (4) and Baun (4) tying for fourth.
Second-year pass rusher Jalyx Hunt ranks second on the team in quarterback hits with eight, but he’s only amassed one sack in the first half of his sophomore campaign. Uche has spent the second-most time on the edge behind Hunt, but he, too, only has one sack to his name while only accounting for three quarterback hits. Okoronkwo suffered a triceps tear that may have ended his season after only four snaps in his only game of the year. Finally, third-year edge rusher Nolan Smith, who started three games across from Hunt to start the season, only tallied one quarterback hit while failing to notch a sack before landing on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.
The Eagles had also signed veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who still leads the position group with 1.5 sacks despite suddenly retiring a little over two weeks ago. Retirement giveth and taketh, though, as on the heels of Smith’s retirement, long-time Eagles veteran Brandon Graham came out of retirement to sign back on with the team. Graham may be more of a culture builder or locker room presence, though, considering his final two seasons in Philadelphia paled in comparison to his career-best 2022 campaign.
The rookie Campbell is an intriguing option at the position, as well. The 21-year-old came out of high school and started his career with the Crimson Tide as an edge rusher, only moving to off-ball linebacker due to injuries at the position. He played the 2023 season almost exclusively in that role but found more versatility in where he lined up throughout his final year with the team, spending increased time in his original position.
Due to this experience, there was a good amount of speculation in how he would be used in the NFL. It seemed early on that the Eagles would be willing to entertain his usage at both positions, but they started him as an off-ball linebacker, and he earned a starting role. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Campbell has excelled in the role, ranking as the team’s second-best defender and the sixth-highest graded linebacker in the NFL, so it doesn’t appear likely he’ll be moving positions.
Hence why Berman has identified the position as one the team may target in the trade market. If they do move on a pass rusher, though, they can’t make any more small moves. They’ll need to target players who can move the needle as a consistent defensive presence. Berman is one of several reporters who have identified the Dolphins as a franchise Roseman should reach out to, along with Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. Specifically, edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips were identified as targets in Miami.
Both player’s careers have ebbed and flowed as injuries have taken a toll on their consistent outputs. Chubb logged a career-high 12.0 sacks as a rookie in 2018 and didn’t see double digits again until he tallied 11.0 in his first full year in Miami. Chubb missed the entire 2024 campaign with a torn ACL but has looked strong this year with four sacks and seven quarterback hits. He has no guaranteed money left on his contract after this year, so he makes perfect sense as a half-year rental that may become a cap casualty after that.
After two strong seasons to start his career, Phillips was on pace for a 14.0-sack season in 2023 before tearing his Achilles tendon after eight games. Season-ending knee surgery would cut off his 2024 campaign after half as many games. Phillips has rebounded decently, as well, though, logging three sacks and seven quarterback hits so far this year. Phillips in currently playing out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and could leave the team in free agency, with Miami getting nothing in return.
The Eagles aren’t the only ones interested in Chubb and Phillips, though. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, multiple teams have reached out with significant interest in the oft-injured pass rushing pair. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated added recently that veteran pass rusher Matt Judon, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick have also been points of order on phone calls.
Per Breer, Miami has been steadfast in telling the team’s inquiring about Waddle “no” in no uncertain terms. He believes the team “may be more receptive” on Fitzpatrick, though. For the pass rushers, Wolfe claims the Dolphins’ front office has been hesitant, but with the trade deadline looming, their grip may loosen a bit. The asking price for Phillips is thought to be at least a third-rounder. There was some thought that, with general manager Chris Grier parting ways with the organization this morning, a fire sale of assets may take place, but interim general manager Champ Kelly is thought to be auditioning for a full-time role, so he’ll still be fairly strategic and judicial with any trade talks that take place, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
The Eagles are eager to deal, though. With an expectation of up to three compensatory draft picks in their future, there’s a chance Philadelphia could be sitting on 10 picks for the 2026 NFL Draft. Roseman is reportedly unafraid to trade those picks, and there’s even speculation players like wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back AJ Dillon could be available in packages, as well. Even if the Dolphins are playing hard ball with their most sought-after assets, the Eagles may be willing to play ball en route to a chance at back-to-back championships.
A.J. Brown Expected To Return After Bye; Eagles Listening To Trade Offers
Wide receiver A.J. Brown is expected to return from his hamstring injury after the Eagles’ Week 9 bye, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Though, drama still engulfs the veteran wide receiver beyond this injury — one that caused the star receiver to miss Philly’s Week 8 tilt against New York.
Trade rumors have followed the three-time Pro Bowler since his slow start to the year and perceived personal problems in the locker room. Multiple teams are “eyeing” Brown ahead of next week’s trade deadline, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and the Eagles are willing to listen to offers. Schefter notes that the veteran wideout is not expected to be dealt but acknowledges that he is not completely untouchable.
Reading between the lines, it seems like the Eagles are testing the waters to see if they can get a sizable return for Brown, perhaps similar to the draft capital they sent to the Titans to acquire him in 2022. That is the theory posited by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who characterized Schefter’s report as a way for the Eagles to quietly solicit offers around the league. The most recent Brown report did indicate the Eagles are informing teams he is unavailable, but the defending Super Bowl champions are not exactly timid when it comes to trade talks.
Florio also mentioned the potential of a reunion between Brown and Mike Vrabel, his head coach in Tennessee who now holds the same job in New England. Vrabel did not want to let Brown leave the Titans in 2022, as captured during an awkward piece of mid-draft footage captured following the Round 1 swap. This helped put him at odds with team ownership and contributed to his eventual firing.
Indeed, the Eagles may not be actively shopping Brown around the league, but they may be open to the idea, if not in favor of it outright. Obviously, adding significant draft capital would be a boon for an Eagles front office that has hit on quite a few picks in recent years. A trade would also get Brown’s contract off the books and create more financial flexibility for future extensions.
Those benefits might outweigh what Brown brings to the Eagles offense right now. DeVonta Smith has been decidedly more productive this year, and Philadelphia’s run-heavy offense makes it difficult to consistently feed two top wideouts. But Brown has been heating up after his slow start in the first four games of the year.
Brown made six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in Week 3, but in the other three matchups to open the year, he only recorded eight receptions and 42 yards. In October, however, Brown has gathered strength, culminating in a four-catch, 121-yard, two-touchdown outing in Week 7 against the Vikings.
Now, the Eagles might be in an interesting spot. Brown’s immediate value is skyrocketing right before the deadline, which could get them an appealing return in a trade. However, it would seem unwise for a team coming off a Super Bowl win with similar aspirations to return this year to deal such a talented wideout midseason, especially without much proven receiving depth on the roster. If anything, the current Brown trade talk feels like a precursor to a much more active market – both for Brown and other wide receivers – next offseason.
Eagles Informing Teams A.J. Brown Remains Unavailable
A.J. Brown-Eagles drama has quieted a bit, as the mercurial wide receiver came up big in the defending champions’ win in Minnesota, but his role in the offense remains a regular talking point despite the team’s success.
Other clubs have been monitoring this situation, and the Eagles are certainly not shy about wading into the trade market. Brown’s importance to this year’s team is obvious, but the Eagles also could fetch a big haul for one of the NFL’s best receivers. That is almost certain not to happen this year, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reporting Philadelphia has no plans to move Brown before the November 4 deadline.
Teams have called the Eagles, as they did in the offseason, continuing this as a talking point. Considering Philly’s standing and commitment to 2025 success — based on another active offseason — moving Brown before the deadline would be one of the most surprising deals in recent NFL history.
But the seventh-year player’s issues with his role — which cropped up before the team’s Week 5 game, seemingly keying a pass-heavy gameplan against Denver — are not likely to cease. If the Eagles continue down this path and hold onto their No. 1 target throughout the season, this storyline will undoubtedly produce more trade rumors entering the 2026 offseason.
At 51 targets through seven games, Brown is on pace for more than he drew last season (97). But a 123-target season (or something in that vicinity) would still check in far south of where the number was during the wideout’s more impressive 2022 and ’23 slates. Brown drew 145 looks in 2022 and 158 in ’23. A three-game injury absence and being rested in Week 18 reduced Brown’s 2024 total, making this season’s 123-target pace more in line with where he was on a per-game basis last season. The Eagles, though, have not seen Saquon Barkley closely approach his 2024 work yet. They have needed more from their passing attack than they did in 2024.
In Week 7, Philly saw Brown catch four passes for 121 yards and two scores. This came on a day when DeVonta Smith exploded for a nine-reception, 183-yard game. This remains a top-tier NFL receiving duo, albeit one that saw Barkley’s 2024 resurgence reduce its relevance. Barkley is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season, sitting at 369 yards after ripping off 2,005 in 16 games last year. If the Eagles’ run-game struggles — after making Barkley the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year RB — persist, more will be needed from Brown and Smith.
Brown’s three-year, $96MM extension runs through the 2029 season. As this is the Eagles, it is filled with option bonuses and void years. Brown’s 2026 compensation locked in after he remained on Philly’s roster this past March, but this rolling guarantee structure only includes a $4MM 2027 trigger if he is on the Eagles’ roster by Day 3 of the ’26 league year. That could extend this partnership for at least one more season, but the Eagles would certainly receive more value trading Brown ahead of an age-29 season in 2026 than when he turns 30 in ’27.
A WR-needy team likely would not be too intimidated by Brown’s near-$30MM guarantee in 2026, especially if he keeps proving himself as an upper-crust wideout. For now, the Eagles and Brown will need to keep working together. The Eagles’ losses to the Broncos and Giants notwithstanding, this remains one of the NFL’s best rosters. It can certainly improve before the November 4 deadline as well.
Potential Trade Suitors Monitoring A.J. Brown Situation
The A.J. Brown rumors are starting to heat up. Last week, we heard that the receiver was frustrated with his role in the Eagles offense, and that report was accompanied by a highly publicized meeting between Brown, Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley. Following a second-straight Eagles loss, it sounds like the frustrations aren’t letting up.
While the Eagles have continually stated that they won’t trade Brown, multiple NFL executives told Dianna Russini of The Athletic that they believe the receiver will eventually be on the move. One source noted the player’s apparent indifference, which could be especially worrisome for a team that’s looking to go on a deep playoff run. Another source was more to the point, opining that the Eagles will ultimately deal the wideout because GM Howie Roseman “likes deals, especially if a player’s value overrides how Brown is being used.”
Brown actually had one of his most productive outings of the season in Week 6, finishing with six catches for 80 yards. After the loss, the veteran denied reports of a discussion with his offensive teammates, noting that he didn’t “recall a meeting” (per EJ Smith of PHLY Sports). Russini added more context, with sources claiming that the meeting wasn’t formal and was simply a “quick, honest check-in.” That could surely be taken as semantics, but either way, Brown didn’t seem particularly interested in discussing his chat.
Russini isn’t the only one noting that rival teams have their eye on the wideout. While Albert Breer of the MMQB acknowledges that this is just part of Philly’s plight while dealing with a “mercurial receiver,” he says there are teams currently monitoring the situation. One exec from an AFC contender said they expect Brown to be discussed in trade talks leading up to the deadline, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any resolution in sight.
On the flip side, Breer is skeptical if a trade will ever reach the finish line. The reporter believes the situation is manageable, at least for the 2025 campaign. Plus, teams may be a bit wary of acquiring the receiver considering his past knee issues and his hefty $29MM in guaranteed money for the 2026 season. Zach Berman of The Athletic echoes this sentiment, as the reporter expressed skepticism that Brown will ultimately be on the move. Berman notes that Roseman prefers to acquire players of Brown’s caliber, not trade them away. Plus, there’s optimism that Nick Sirianni will be able to manage all of the personalities.
In other words, it’s uncertain how this situation will ultimately play out. Either way, it will surely be a story to watch as we inch closer to the November 4th trade deadline.
Eagles WRs A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith Frustated By Role In Offense; Team Does Not Plan To Trade Brown
The Eagles’ top two wide receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, are frustrated with their role in Philadelphia’s offense, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required). While confirming Brown’s frustrations, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report that the team has no intention of trading the three-time Pro Bowler (which echoes Russini’s report from last month, in which she noted that Philadelphia shot down offseason trade inquiries into Brown).
Though the defending Super Bowl champions are off to a 4-0 start, Rapoport and Garafolo say that promising record has been “highly scrutinized” due to the nature of the club’s offense (the Eagles rank 30th in yards per game, though they are seventh in points per game). As a league source told Russini, “[r]ight now, for the Eagles, it’s run, run, run, (Jalen) Hurts off-schedule pass, tush push. For their receivers, that means when they get to the red zone, they aren’t getting the ball — and they know it. Hence the frustrations.”
While Smith has remained quiet, Brown has been more open about his dissatisfaction. Shortly after the team’s Week 4 victory over the Bucs, he posted the following scripture to his X account: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way” (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook).
During a media session on Wednesday, Brown offered clarity on the post.
“First off, I want to start off by saying, obviously, Sunday after the game I let my frustrations boil over,” he said (via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I didn’t speak to the media. I had a chance to correct my frustrations and I continued to let it boil over and that’s on me. I take full accountability on that.”
He went on to say that the message was not directed at anyone in particular, including his general manager, head coach, or quarterback. However, he also added, “I don’t think it’s a bad thing for wanting the ball.”
As a rival head coach told Russini, Brown is likely not frustrated by the number of targets he has received (28 through four games), but rather the type of targets and the situation they come in.
Brown seemed to confirm as much on Wednesday, saying, “[i]t’s not just for targets or anything, to put numbers up, no. I see that we’re struggling, and I’m a guy that wants the ball in those times when we can’t find a way. Give it to me. When the game’s on the line, give the ball to me.”
That is what happened when the Eagles were trailing 26-7 in their comeback win over the Rams. As Philadelphia fought its way back into the game, Hurts threw contested balls to Brown that resulted in completions, and Brown ended the game with six catches for 109 yards and a score. In the team’s other three contests combined, the Ole Miss product has tallied eight receptions for 42 scoreless yards.
Of course, the Eagles have a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Patullo, and Brown missed a significant portion of training camp due to a hamstring injury. The Rapoport/Garafolo duo thinks Hurts will try to get Brown the ball early and often in the Eagles’ Week 5 bout against the Broncos, and Russini likewise believes Patullo could try to script plays for both Brown and Smith early in games. She also says GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni have had private conversations with Brown in an effort to manage the situation.
Obviously, a happy and productive tandem at the top of their WR depth chart will go a long way towards the Eagles’ efforts to repeat. That is why the team does not plan to entertain trade inquiries on Brown (the same may be true of Smith, though Rapoport and Garafolo do not mention him in their report).
If the team did consider moving Brown, sources tell Rapoport and Garafolo he could fetch a monster package similar to the one the Cowboys recently landed for star edge rusher Micah Parsons. And Russini reports rival executives are monitoring the situation, believing Roseman could change his stance.
“They are paying roughly $50 million to two wide receivers (Brown and Smith), and they aren’t even that involved,” one GM told Russini. “They may move on simply because Philly is a run-heavy team.”
For his part, Brown says he does not want to leave Philly.
“This is my home, you know? I did it to myself,” he said. “But this is my home, man. I love it here. But you just see frustration because obviously we want to be great and most definitely I want to be great, as well.”
As the rival GM referenced above noted, both Brown and Smith are on high-end contracts. Brown is under club control through 2029, while Smith’s current deal expires after the 2028 season.