It's been nearly two full seasons of A.J. Brown trade rumors in Philadelphia. He hit it off with Jalen Hurts almost right away, but he's clearly not happy in the City of Brotherly Love anymore. He's even gone on the record to complain about his role with the team.
That's why, as much as Eagles GM Howie Roseman has been adamant about trading him, he may ultimately not have much of a choice. Brown has a strong character, and he can make life quite uncomfortable in Philadelphia if he doesn't get traded.
Considering that, teams will continue trying to poach him. According to NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, fans and pundits should now add the Los Angeles Rams to the list of potential trade suitors.
The Los Angeles Rams Want to Trade for AJ Brown
"A.J. Brown trade discussions are not dead," Russini wrote. "Last week, I was told the Rams discussed trading for Eagles WR A.J. Brown before dealing for CB Trent McDuffie. Dialogue slowed, but Los Angeles continues to monitor the status of the three-time Pro Bowler with interest. We’ll see where both parties go from here."
The Rams already made a huge move by acquiring a star CB in McDuffie from the Chiefs. That's reminiscent of the 2021 offseason when, knowing that they would host the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, the Los Angeles Rams went all-in and traded for Matthew Stafford. With So-Fi Stadium set to host the Super Bowl in 2027, Los Angeles could be gearing up for another push to be the home team in the biggest game of them all.
With that in mind, it wouldn't be far-fetched to think that the Rams will stay active and aggressive in trade talks. Brown has been tied to a move to the New England Patriots because of his past with head coach Mike Vrabel, but having him catch passes from Matthew Stafford on a Sean McVay offense should be a scary thought for the rest of the league.
Of course, the Eagles shouldn't be in any rush to get a deal done. He has to be traded with a post-June 1 designation anyway, so they're doing the right thing by letting things simmer while assessing all their options.
But at the end of the day, keeping a disgruntled player on the team has rarely, if ever, led to anything good. Brown is the type of guy who tells it like it is, and this team cannot afford any more distractions and outside noise. If not for the compensation, sometimes teams can add by subtraction, and this might be one of those cases.