The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a complicated decision with the future of receiver A.J. Brown. It is difficult not to want to part ways with a pass catcher that continues to show he is a selfish teammate, more interested in getting his own numbers than doing whatever it takes to win. With that said, a report from The Athletic's Senior NFL Insider Dianna Russini points to a second-round pick as the likely return if Philadelphia does opt to trade Brown. This pours cold water on the notion that moving on from the frustrating receiver is the definite path forward.
Only garnering a second-round pick in return for an incredibly talented player while taking on a huge dead cap hit makes a trade far less compelling. According to Spotrac, if the Eagles trade Brown after June 1, it would only save the franchise $7 million in cap space. On the other hand, a dead cap hit of $16.3 million for the 2026 season and $27.1 million for the 2027 season would be due. This makes it clear that trading Brown isn't in the team's financial interest.
Eagles Interest in Trading A.J. Brown Likely Dampened After Latest Report
Trading Brown wasn't about opening cap space. Instead, it would be parting ways with a player who is consistently adding unnecessary drama to the offense. There is no denying Brown's talent level or impact on the offense when the receiver is focused on playing at a high level. Understanding Brown's potential and the lack of a viable return pushes the franchise towards riding things out for another season.
The hope is that a change at offensive coordinator and a long offseason to reset after an epic playoff failure will help Brown refocus. You're not losing anything by letting things play out another year. If the receiver remains a negative presence during the 2026 season, you can still opt to make the trade and take the same cap penalties that currently appear too daunting.
It is easy to argue that this is the wiser path, leaving hope that things can still be salvaged with Brown. The lack of an exciting trade return, coupled with significant dead cap punishment, would be far too overwhelming to ignore. For the Eagles, it makes sense to quietly gauge the market while making it clear on the outside that they stand behind Brown.
If no team is willing to give up more than a second-round pick, Philadelphia loses nothing by riding out another offseason and hoping that Brown turns a new leaf in 2026. Considering the two frustrating drops Brown had in Philadelphia's playoff loss, it is fair to suggest the receiver has every reason to approach next season with a bit more humility, as what Brown ultimately does on the gridiron will be far more important than anything he says. While this typically hasn't been Brown's outlook on the biggest stage, hopefully it serves as a wake-up call.
No question, if Russini's report is correct, the best path forward for Philly would be to sit back and bank on things improving. Howie Roseman must understand that a trade is far too frustrating financially, and the return is too little for the front office to pull the trigger.