A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith
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Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
The trade of Dallas Cowboys superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last month may have had some lingering effects on the NFL’s psyche … because it showed pretty much anybody can be dealt.
That’s why it should come as no surprise Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown became a buzzy name in trade rumors after a Week 1 win over the Cowboys in which he had just 1 reception for 8 yards on 1 target.
It’s no secret Brown doesn’t respond well to not getting the ball in bunches, and can be very vocal about it.
The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported on September 13 there were teams calling about Brown long before his disappointing Week 1 performance.
“A.J.Brown received interest from multiple trade suitors this offseason, sources say,” Russini wrote on her official X account. “But teams poking around were told by Eagles GM Howie Roseman flat-out: No dice.”
Setting Price For Brown If Roseman Changes Mind
Smart general managers will know Roseman saying “No” right now or over the summer is not Roseman saying “No” one month from now.
The price for a player like Brown could very well be another team’s WR1 and a 2026 second round pick. While the Eagles would still have wide receiver DeVonta Smith, there chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions might disappear without another elite receiving option.
Brown being still in the prime of his career also helps the Eagles in another way — any team seeking a trade for him does so with the understanding they take on the full financial commitment of the 3-year, $96 million contract extension he signed in April 2024.
“If there’s really a trade for A.J. Brown, the team to look at is the Patriots,” Colin Cowherd said on “The Herd With Colin Cowherd” on September 11. “That could be a reunion with (Patriots) head coach Mike Vrabel, which would make sense.”
Brown Already Part Of One Shocking Trade
Brown played the first 3 years of his career with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2021 and with Vrabel as his head coach. That included consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start his career, a Pro Bowl in 2020 and an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2020.
Video of Vrabel’s disgust/shock at finding out the Titans traded Brown to the Eagles on draft day in 2022 is a viral masterpiece — and probably also played a big part in Vrabel getting fired 2 years later.
Prior to the trade, Vrabel had gone out of his way to say as long as he was the coach of the Titans, Brown would be on the team.
“I mean, obviously, as the head coach, you want every player that you think can help you win on the team,” Vrabel said on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast in July 2023. “I certainly had, and still have, a great relationship with A.J. But then sometimes, in the business of professional sports, things go a different direction. And that’s where they went. I’m happy for A.J., and I’m happy for his family, you know. And we got compensated, and we tried last year.”