A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
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A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to a game the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2026 NFL offseason with an A.J. Brown situation brewing.
Over the last couple of years, Brown has had clear frustration with the franchise. One moment in particular summed up that frustration. Brown was spotted reading a book on the sideline in the middle of a game.
Reports of unrest between Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts have run rampant. That has led to the situation this offseason where the Eagles have been expected to trade the star wide receiver.
So far, no deal has gotten done. Philadelphia has had discussions with multiple teams about a potential Brown trade, but general manager Howie Roseman has maintained a high asking price. He doesn’t seem willing to drop that asking price anytime soon.
With that being said, ESPN has weighed in on the situation and praised Roseman and the Eagles for how they have been handling things.
ESPN Provides Strong Take on Eagles’ A.J. Brown Trade Discussions
ESPN’s Ben Solak provided his thoughts on the Brown trade scenario. He thinks that Roseman is playing the game nicely at this stage of the NFL offseason.
“How general manager Howie Roseman walked the line of an A.J. Brown trade. He kept his asking price high and kept the cap open by delaying Goedert’s void date, which centralized Brown in the WR trade market. Although no deal got done, the Broncos-Dolphins Jaylen Waddle trade certainly strengthened the Eagles’ case for getting a first-round pick for Brown (who is only a year older than Waddle),” Solak wrote.
Solak continued forward, taking a brief look at the future of the Brown trade talks.
“We’ll wait to see which teams remain in need of a star receiver after June 1, when the cap hit of a Brown trade becomes far more palatable. The hay isn’t in the barn yet — the Eagles still need a dance partner come June. But Roseman is playing this well.”
There has been speculation that Brown could be traded closer to June 1 after the NFL Draft in April.
Trading A.J. Brown Is Still a Difficult Decision to Make
Even though Philadelphia has been expected to trade Brown, moving on from him is a tough call to make.
Brown is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL. When he’s locked in and bought in, he has helped make the Eagles a top-tier Super Bowl contender.
In his four seasons with the Eagles, Brown has not recorded less than 1,000 receiving yards in a single year. Last season, he caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Parting ways with that kind of production would be difficult to replace. Roseman should maintain his high asking price. Brown is a legitimate star wide receiver and shouldn’t be moved under value.