Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown during an NFL game.
The Denver Broncos may not be done making a splash after all. On the latest DNVR Broncos Podcast, Zac Stevens revisited a notable comment from NFL analyst Brian Baldinger and made it clear the A.J. Brown conversation has not gone away. Per Stevens’ discussion of Baldinger’s appearance, there is still at least some mutual interest between Denver and Philadelphia on a potential Brown deal.
That matters today because the Broncos have stayed unusually quiet in outside free agency while also creating more cap room. Denver restructured Jonathon Cooper’s contract this week, a move that reportedly cleared about $8.2 million in 2026 space, while the team has otherwise focused on retaining its own players rather than chasing big-ticket additions.
Broncos News: DNVR’s Zac Stevens Says Mutual Interest Still Exists Between Denver and AJ Brown
On the podcast, Stevens pointed back to Baldinger saying there was interest “on both sides” in a possible Brown trade, even if it was not yet at an all-out negotiating stage.Other reports and summaries of Baldinger’s comments have echoed that Denver has at least checked in on Brown’s availability.
That is the key distinction here. This is not being framed as a done deal or even an imminent deal. It is being framed as a live possibility.
For the Broncos, that makes sense. Sean Payton’s team won games last season, kept much of its core intact, and now appears to be looking for a ceiling-raising move rather than a full roster makeover. Brown would qualify. He is still one of the league’s most productive physical No. 1 receivers, and at 28, he remains firmly in his prime.ESPN’s stats page list Brown with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025..
Broncos Rumors: What Would It Cost to Get AJ Brown?
This is where the discussion gets real.
On DNVR, Stevens and Andre Simone drew a hard line: Brown is appealing if the price drops into a realistic range, but not if the Eagles demand a haul that guts Denver’s draft future. Stevens said he would do pick No. 30 for Brown and could live with adding a later pick. He pushed back on the idea of giving up multiple premium selections.
That tracks with the economics. Brown is still a star, but moving him is not simple for Philadelphia. Spotrac currently shows a pre-June 1 trade would saddle the Eagles with more than $45 million in dead cap, which helps explain why the asking price would need to be significant.
From Denver’s side, the argument is straightforward: if the Broncos believe Bo Nix is ready to take a real step, adding Brown would not just upgrade one spot. It would ease coverage on Courtland Sutton, improve the spacing for Evan Engram and the rest of the passing game, and force defenses to respect Denver’s outside receivers in a different way.
AJ Brown Stats
Brown’s production is exactly why this rumor has legs.
In 2025, Brown posted 78 receptions, 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns for Philadelphia. He remained one of the Eagles’ top targets, nearly matching DeVonta Smith’s yardage total while again functioning as a physical, explosive boundary receiver.
Those numbers also came in a year where he was still clearly central to Philadelphia’s passing attack, which is why any trade would be about more than talent alone. Contract structure, cap timing and roster priorities would all be part of the equation.
AJBrownContract:WhatDenverWouldBeTakingOn
Browniscurrentlyplayingonthe3-year, $96millionextension hesignedwithPhiladelphiainApril2024,adealthatrunsthroughthe2029season.Theextensionincludesa$19.875millionsigningbonus,$84millionguaranteed,anda$32millionaverageannualvalue, according to SpoTrac.
For2026,SpotraclistsBrownata$1.3millionbasesalary,a$27.45millionsigningbonusallocation,anda$250,000workoutbonus,fora$23.39millioncaphit.Spotracalsoshowsa$72.5milliondead-capfigure forPhiladelphiain2026,whichisabigreasontheEagleswouldlikelydemandstrongtradecompensationiftheyseriouslyconsideredmovinghim.
What happens next?
Watch for whether Philadelphia’s asking price changes, whether Denver continues clearing cap space, and whether any credible insider ties the Broncos back to Brown over the next several days. Potential follow-ups: what Brown would mean for Bo Nix, whether Denver should trade pick No. 30, and how Brown compares to other veteran WR options still on the market.