What if the Eagles Don’t Trade A.J. Brown?
The Eagles recently traded with the Green Bay Packers for receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
This led to a lot of speculation about the future of one AJ Brown.
Most saw the move as proof that the Eagles were going to trade the star receiver. However, AJ Brown is very unlikely to be moved any time before June 1st due to cap implications. My thought is, what if they did not trade AJ Brown?
Let’s take a look at the receiver room currently for the Eagles. There’s the aforementioned AJ Brown and, of course, DeVonta Smith, along with newcomers Dontayvion Wick and Hollywood Brown. On paper, this might be the greatest receiver room ever assembled. Three of the four players mentioned all have WR-1 experience. The fourth, Wicks, is still on his rookie deal but was a first-down machine in his time with the Packers.
The Eagles could easily trot out one of the best receiving cores every game if things stay the same. Assuming the offensive coordinator can dial up more exotic routes than the last year. Of course, that lends itself to stories that Jalen Hurts can’t win without a stacked supporting cast, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Howie Roseman has been on the record saying that AJ Brown is an Eagle, and that’s how they’re operating. Could part of this be Howie making sure the trade value stays high? Absolutely.
Do I think they’ll hold onto him if the trade return is too low?
Absolutely. Is the door finally closed on trade rumors? Absolutely not.
There’s also a little event you may be familiar with, the NFL Draft, this week, where anything could happen. The Eagles first acquired AJ Brown on draft day. Wouldn’t it be poetic if his tenure also ended on draft day? Yes, but that feels more like a plot point from the movie Draft Day than from real life. Like I said, the cap implications muddy that possibility too much.
Sure, they could go out and draft a player. Who knows what a mystery player could be, maybe even an AJ Brown. Give me the known commodity over the unknown every time. Also, a new player would need time to adjust to the league and grow into an AJ Brown replacement. With the team as good as it is, I’m not sure having a rebuilding year is the right course.
There’s also the fact that, at the end of the day, AJ Brown makes the team better. Love him or hate him, he’s still one of the top receivers in the league, so keeping him is better than losing him. Sure, he may display some wacky sideline behavior and act disgruntled. In the end, if he doesn’t play well, it could affect future contract amounts, which would ultimately hurt him more than any team that wants him.
Honestly, I’m operating based on the assumption that AJ Brown is on the team. Suppose you’re wondering why, it’s because he’s still on the team. A lot can change in the month and a half before the supposed June 1st trade target.
We’re likely not going to hear the end of it unless he does get traded.
I guess the good news is that it gives everyone a free conversation starter.
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
