The Philadelphia Eagles are still playing the long game with star wide receiver AJ Brown. Eagles GM Howie Roseman has been vocal about his desire to keep the star wideout in the City of Brotherly Love, and he can be a tough bargain.
However, Brown has also been open about his desire to leave. He’s not happy with his role in the offense, and he may no longer see eye to eye with QB Jalen Hurts.
Considering that, the New England Patriots have reportedly stayed engaged in talks about reuniting him with head coach Mike Vrabel. According to NFL insider Mike Florio, the Pats are in the driver’s seat to land him, but they’ll have to wait until after June 1 to do so:
“If a trade happens, when a trade happens — and people around the league are saying a trade will happen — it’ll happen on or after June 2, with A.J. Brown most likely being traded to the New England Patriots. Because the two primary contenders were the Patriots and the Rams, and my understanding is the Rams tapped out,” Florio said in the latest episode of Tom E. Curran’s “Patriots Talk Podcast.”
As Florio explained, trading Brown before June 1 would cost the Eagles a whopping $40 million in dead cap money. A post-June 1 designation would lower that number by more than half.
Florio also argued that the Eagles will still need to move on from Brown this season if he’s not going to play through his contract in Philadelphia. Otherwise, he might become a salary cap nightmare for years to come:
“I had somebody who is in position to have a reason to understand the dynamics of the Eagles’ salary cap into the future, and this person early in free agency insisted the Eagles have to trade A.J. Brown before next year,” Florio said. “That if they make the move next year, it’s going to wreak havoc on their salary cap in light of their other commitments and cap charges and whatnot.”
The Patriots already signed former Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs, but giving Drake Maye one of the best pass catchers in the NFL will certainly help their chances of returning to the big game next season.
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