A.J. Brown
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Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported the Philadelphia Eagles shopping wide receiver A.J. Brown this offseason is having a ripple impact around the league.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Friday the Philadelphia Eagles will not trade A.J. Brown before the 2026 NFL Draft. But just by virtue of making him available, there are potential repercussions happening now around the league.
That’s what Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported Sunday. Florio wrote that the Los Angeles Rams, who were a late Brown suitor in the trade discussions, considered acquiring Brown and then flipping fellow veteran wideout Davante Adams to another team.
“So what if they’d made the trade for Brown? It would have left them with Puka Nacua (who’s eventually getting a significant second contract), Davante Adams (who’ll make $24 million in cash in 2026), and Brown (who’ll make $29 million this year),” wrote Florio.
“Per a league source, the Rams — while talking about a possible trade for Brown — were pursuing the possibility of trading Adams.”
Ultimately, the Eagles elected not to trade their second-team All-Pro wideout. But the Rams may not have continued pursuing a Brown trade past Sunday anyway.
“The Rams presumably were hoping to get a deal done by today, when a fully-guaranteed $6 million roster bonus came due,” Florio added. “And the payment of the bonus likely means they’ll keep Adams and his $18 million base salary.”
Russini reported Friday that Brown trade discussions could begin again around June 1.
In a drama-filled 2025 campaign, the Eagles wideout posted 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Although those are still solid numbers, Brown averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per reception.
With the Rams, Adams had 60 receptions for 789 yards. As Florio mentioned, he led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns.
Is Davante Adams Staying With the Rams?
Florio suggested the Rams will end their game of receiver musical chairs since Adams’s $6 million roster bonus is due. The question, though, is will Florio’s report have any impact on the relationship between Adams and the Rams.
Receivers have responded negatively to similar trade rumors in the past. In this case, it’s not just a trade rumor. Florio’s report, if true, is an admission from the Rams that Los Angeles sees Brown as an upgrade over Adams.
It’s not shocking if the Rams feel that way. Adams turned 33 years old in December while Brown will only be 29 in June.
NFL athletes are very prideful, though, and it’s worth monitoring how Adams will respond to Florio’s report, if and when he does.
Brown Trade Talks Could Have Lingering Impact
Florio’s report could be just the beginning of a big can of worms around the league.
If the Rams shopped Adams on the trade market, it’s possible teams inquired about him. Those teams have other receivers that maybe they were trying to replace with Adams.
So, it will be interesting to hear if any potential Adams suitors emerge from Florio or another insider. Even if Adams doesn’t care his team potentially tried to replace him, another wideout might be more sensitive.
Florio didn’t make clear Sunday how deep into trade discussion the Rams went with Adams.
The NFL insider left his report at: “pursuing the possibility of trading Adams.”
Adams spent the first eight years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Since 2022, though, he’s been traded twice. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, he’s been on three different teams.
After leading the league in touchdowns during 2025 and with the Rams expecting to contend again in 2026, Los Angeles still appears to be the best spot for Adams. But another contender could also see him as a short-term solution at wideout if he’s made available on the trade market in 2026.
From the Eagles perspective, a Brown-Adams swap could be possible. However, such a deal would also have to include other compensation going to Philadelphia.
Adams has one year remaining on his contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason.