Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown
Getty
Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown
Twenty-four hours before the official start of NFL free agency, and it doesn’t appear the Philadelphia Eagles are any closer to finding a trade partner for star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Philly has been bullish in its asking price for the Pro Bowl wideout — first- and second-round picks — which has certainly stalled any progress on getting a Brown deal done.
As of midday Tuesday, the New England Patriots are considered the frontrunners to land the 28-year-old Brown, who has a history with head coach Mike Vrabel from their days together with the Tennessee Titans.
A.J. Brown’s Wish List Revealed
Philadelphia Eagles WR AJ Brown
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles WR AJ Brown
NFL insider Albert Breer recently revealed there are four team’s that Brown wants to play for, should he be traded out of Philadelphia.
“Brown’s camp has certainly done its homework on interested teams, and I’ve heard that the Bills, Chargers, Chiefs and Patriots were on his wish list. Buffalo, having done the deal for Moore, is no longer involved,” Breer stated.
“I don’t think the Chargers are either, with their focus on the offensive line and the edge positions (with a big chunk of money/cap now gone to Mack). And ditto on the Chiefs, who are zeroed in on the running back spot, and have a desire to replenish the roster with the picks they got in the McDuffie trade.”
It’s been clear all along that New England is where Brown wants to end up.
The Ole Miss alum has a reputation for being a bit of a headache, as evidenced by the multiple times he took to X to make it known he wasn’t happy with his role in the Eagles’ offense. But the consensus seems to be if there’s one head coach who can reel Brown in, it’s Vrabel.
Why Has Progress Stalled?
Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni
The Eagles certainly don’t have to trade Brown.
He’s under contract for three more years (with an out after next season), and when he’s at the top of his game, there are few receivers more impactful than he is.
But general manager Howie Roseman, who has a reputation for rarely losing in a trade, has been adamant on ensuring the Eagles get back fair value in a return. The problem is he’s seemingly operating under a different definition of fair value than the rest of the NFL.
“The A.J. Brown situation feels like it’s at a standstill,” Breer added. “The comp I’ve heard for Philly’s ask is the 2022 Davante Adams trade between the Raiders and Packers.. Adams was 29 when that deal was done, and he went for Vegas’s first- and second-round picks in ’22.
“I’m not sure anyone will go that far to get him, since I’ve heard other teams used the Bills-Texans’ 2024 Stefon Diggs trade as a comp. Diggs went for a Day 3 pick swap in ’24 and a ’25 second-round pick, a far cry from what Green Bay got for Adams.”