Philadelphia Eagles’ star wideout A.J. Brown is exceeding expectations
It feels like we have been waiting forever for a wide receiver like A.J. Brown to be donning midnight green for the Philadelphia Eagles. Gone are the days of Jalen Reagor, Dorial Green-Beckham, and J.J Arcega-Whiteside taking up roster spots. Gone are the days of players like Jordan Matthews being the team’s number-one receiver. The Philadelphia Eagles finally got it right with A.J. Brown.
Loaded with three first-round picks heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, there were many different avenues Howie Roseman and company could take to improve the Philadelphia Eagles roster. After wasting multiple high draft picks over the past few off-seasons, there were talks again that the franchise could decide to attempt to improve the wide receiver position with one of those picks. That is exactly what the team did, even if it was in an unexpected way.
The Philadelphia Eagles sent the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to the Tennessee Titans for wide receiver A.J. Brown; in a move that sent the Philadelphia region into a frenzy. Fans were salivating at the idea of having Brown catching passes from Jalen Hurts and running routes alongside 2021 first-round pick Devonta Smith. In one fell swoop, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense made the leap from pretty good to elite. Not long after trading for the 25-year-old wide receiver, the Eagles handed Brown a four-year, $100 million extension, keeping him in Philadelphia until at least the 2026 NFL Season.
A.J. Brown has been everything the Philadelphia Eagles envisioned.
In three seasons with the Titans, A.J. Brown averaged 61 receptions, 998 yards, and 8 touchdowns a season, playing in a run-first offense that was heavily focused on feeding Derrick Henry with as many touches as possible. Brown’s 6 foot 1, 225 lbs frame has always made him an elite athlete, and while his numbers didn’t jump off the page, all you had to do was watch a few snaps of number 18 to know he was the real deal.
All A.J. Brown has done in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles is catch 44 passes for 725 yards and 6 touchdowns, helping lead the Birds to an 8-1 record through the team’s first nine games. Mixed into those nine games was a 10-catch, 155-yard debut in a 38-35 victory against the Detroit Lions, as well as a 6-catch, 156-yard, and 3-touchdown performance in a 35-13 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Essentially, A.J. Brown has delivered on lofty expectations fans and media alike had set for him prior to his first game as an Eagle.
Next. There’s no need for the Philadelphia Eagles (or their fans) to panic…yet. dark
At this point in time, the sky appears to be the limit for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. The team currently sits in first place in the entire NFC through their first nine games, with a favorable schedule remaining in front of them. Fans have begun to have Super Bowl dreams, and there is no question that A.J. Brown has played a significant role in this torrid start for the Birds. While there is still a long way to go this season and in the career of Brown, his legacy in Philadelphia is already beginning to take shape.