Reports that the Philadelphia Eagles are keeping A.J. Brown have not deterred some in the NFL from expecting an offseason trade.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini said Friday that the Eagles decided not to move Brown at this time. However, the league isn't convinced they're done shopping the Pro Bowl wide receiver.
Several sources depicted a Brown trade as "inevitable" to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. One source predicted that he'll go to the New England Patriots, who "remain in play" after signing Romeo Doubs.
According to Russini, the Eagles had "serious conversations" with the Patriots and Los Angeles Rams. The two teams remain interested, but any trade would likely wait until around June 1.
Florio noted that the Eagles would assume a "dramatically smaller" dead cap hit if they trade Brown before June 1. But they may be more willing or able to accept the full $23.4 million hit if reaching a trade after that date, given the quiet start to free agency.
"Another source explained that the Eagles will be careening toward a potential cap mess in 2027, if they keep Brown through 2026," Florio wrote. "Regardless, the fact that a trade hasn’t occurred doesn’t mean it won’t. The signs continue to point toward it happening. The only question is whether the Eagles decide to wait to make the deal official after June 1."
In line with other recent reports, The Athletic said Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was seeking a first- and second-round pick for Brown. The odds seem against the Eagles trading Brown before next month's draft, but perhaps the Patriots still have a chance to acquire the star wide receiver before the 2026 campaign.
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