It never made sense for the Eagles to move A.J. Brown ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Turns out, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman agreed.
Roseman was asked about the trade speculation that swirled around Brown and whether or not the defending Super Bowl champions entertained offers for the All-Pro wide receiver.
“When you’re trying to be a great team, it’s hard to trade great players, and A.J. Brown’s a great player,” Roseman said on Tuesday. “He wears the ‘C’ for a reason. He’s an important part of this team, of this organization. He cares about winning. He cares about his teammates.
“I think that when you’re a team like ours that’s looking forward to an opportunity to compete for a championship, you just don’t get rid of guys like that. Feel very lucky to have him on our team, and excited about the second half of the season with him.”
Roseman didn’t directly say the Eagles didn’t entertain offers for Brown. He also didn’t commit to the 28-year-old receiver being in Philadelphia beyond this season.
But for at least the next few months, Brown is an Eagle — despite a handful of social media posts and reporting that suggested Philadelphia might move on from him.
Brown is in the midst of a frustrating individual season. The three-time All-Pro pick has only 395 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 29 receptions in seven games. Brown’s production was particularly low in the first five games of the season (19 catches, 194 yards).
Over the last two months, Brown has posted a few cryptic social media posts that left fans confused. The most recent example — after a 121-yard, two-touchdown performance vs. the Vikings in Week 7 — was an Instagram caption stating: “Using me but not using me.”
Those posts, coupled with reporting from national outlets suggesting Brown is unhappy and could be dealt, fanned the flames of a potential trade.
But in reality, the Eagles, who are trying to win back-to-back Super Bowls, would be doing themselves a disservice by dealing Brown.
That’s why Roseman said what he said — and why Brown is still in Philadelphia.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.