aj brown
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Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown.
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek has proven that he’s not afraid to make trades, but he might not want to make any blockbuster deals this offseason after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of their deal for defensive end Maxx Crosby.
For now, it looks like Crosby will be a Raider going forward, but there’s always a chance another deal could materialize. One position the team has done a lot of work on ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft is wide receiver.
Using an early draft pick on the position is possible, but the Raiders could go after an established wide receiver. Matt Okada of NFL.com pitched a trade that would send Crosby and a 2026 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown and a 2026 first-round pick.
“Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza is mere weeks away from fulfilling his apparent destiny as the long-presumed No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, but his top wide receiver on arrival would be either Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker or Jack Bech,” Okada wrote. “Mendoza’s No. 1 pass-catching option would technically be tight end Brock Bowers, but the rookie will have a tough time finding his footing in Year 1 without another strong receiver in the fold.
“Keep in mind, Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the league last season with a 35.8% target share as the focal point of new head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense in Seattle. Should Brown make his way to Vegas this offseason, he would immediately step into top-tier volume in this receiver room — something he’s frequently campaigned for in Philadelphia. In terms of compensation, the Eagles’ top need — according to NFL IQ — is edge rusher. Maxx Crosby is still on the Raiders’ roster after the trade with the Ravens fell through earlier this offseason. Crosby’s trade value is a bit higher than Brown’s, but Howie Roseman adding in a little extra pick compensation could turn this potential deal into one of the more mutually beneficial blockbusters in recent history.”
Not the Worst Package for Raiders
After the Crosby deal to the Ravens fell through, there were suggestions that the Raiders would be lucky to get one first-round pick for the defensive end, let alone the two that Baltimore was offering. Getting an All-Pro player and a first-round pick for Crosby might be the best they can do right now.
Brown is going to be 29 when the season starts, so he’s not necessarily on the Raiders’ timeline, but he’s still one of the best pass catchers in the NFL. He’d make life a lot easier for whoever is starting at quarterback. For the Eagles, they’d get the star pass rusher they’ve been trying to find for a couple of years.
Crosby Probably Not Going Anywhere
At this stage, it seems unlikely that Crosby gets traded. It appears he has rescinded his trade request and is happy playing in Las Vegas.
If he’s going to get traded, it’ll be more likely to happen after he can pass a physical, which won’t be until June at the earliest. That means a trade during or before the draft is highly unlikely.