One of the biggest questions facing the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason surrounds star wide receiver A.J. Brown's future. Brown is coming off an awful playoff performance, which included a public yelling match with head coach Nick Sirianni after failing to make a play.
This led Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to be asked about the situation on Thursday, and whether or not Philly might consider trading away No. 11 (h/t @MikeGarafolo):
"It’s hard to find great players in the NFL and A.J.’s a great player. That’s what we’re going out and looking for, when we go out in free agency and the Draft, is trying to find great players who love football and he’s that guy. So that would be my answer."Howie Roseman, Eagles GM
Eagles Set Up Multiple Paths for A.J. Brown's Future to Take Him
As great as Brown can be on the gridiron, including his helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl, it goes without saying that his time in Philly hasn't been perfect. Whether it was reading a book on the sidelines mid-game or being openly unhappy with the offense's plans, there's always been a vibe that the Eagles could turn the page on him at any moment.
That's why Roseman's response is interesting. Not once did the Eagles' GM specifically say that he would never trade Brown. What the GM did was cleverly build up one of his star players and talk about how Philly needed to bring in more talent, potentially bolstering Brown's trade value in the process.
After what happened in the playoffs, no one would be surprised if Brown's outburst hurt is value. But now that Roseman has gone to bat for him, the difference-making receiver's stock could be on the rise again. If he truly is just a guy "who loves football," there's no doubt that other GMs would love to have him on their roster.
At the same time, Roseman could also be paving the way for Brown to stay in town. Saying that the Pro Bowl wideout fits the Eagles' vision opens the door for him to stick around for the franchise's next phase, regardless of what the coaching staff and roster make-up looks like moving forward. If Brown can keep his off-field distractions in check, Philly fans would be more than fine keeping him around.
Ideally, Brown will be a non-problem with the right offensive coordinator hire and a full offseason to cool tempers. The Eagles' offense is at its best when he's performing like the world-class receiver he can be, and if that's the case, keeping him makes a ton of sense. But if not, and those issues rear their head again, Brown might not be long for Philadelphia, and a trade could be on the horizon.
Then, we might be able to connect Brown's departure back to what GM Roseman said on a Thursday afternoon in January.