Here's what the Eagles would reportedly want if they traded A.J. Brown

The Eagles don't seem to believe they need to trade A.J. Brown. But it's borderline delusional at this point to pretend like there's not a chance the star wide receiver is dealt.  

Albert Breer of The MMQB had the following insight on where things stand between the Eagles and Brown after the NFL Combine: 

"The potential for an A.J. Brown trade is there. Eagles GM Howie Roseman knows this situation is delicate—and actively shopping Brown could make things messier than Philly needs them to be. But Brown’s camp has done recon, too, on potential landing spots and which have a genuine interest. So, while Roseman quietly has had talks, Brown’s side has gauged whether there’s greener grass elsewhere.

"The asking price, for now, is high. It sounds like the Eagles would want a first-round pick and another top-100 selection (similar to what the Packers got for Davante Adams in 2022), and that’s going to be too much for most, if not all, teams. Some of those teams, conversely, see Brown’s value as being closer to what the Bills got for Stefon Diggs from Houston in ’24 (a second-rounder, plus a Day 3 pick-swap that favored Buffalo)." 

What this may come down to is whether the Eagles believe Sean Mannion replacing Kevin Patullo at offensive coordinator is enough to put the toothpaste back in the tube regarding Brown. By the end of the 2025 season, it certainly felt from the outside like the relationship with Brown and any number of people in the organization — including quarterback Jalen Hurts and coach Nick Sirianni — had run its course. 

Make no mistake, Brown was right to be frustrated with how the offense looked. Obviously, the Eagles agreed, which is why they dismissed Patullo after the season. He was probably legitimate in his discontent with the offense under Kellen Moore for parts of the 2024 season, even if that year ended with the Eagles winning a Super Bowl. 

But can there really be a fresh start in 2026? Where is his relationship at with Hurts? Is Brown going to turn to social media the second things don't go his way? Are the Eagles going to throw the ball enough under Mannion to make the juice worth the squeeze with Brown, or would they be fine with DeVonta Smith as their No. 1 wideout next year? 

Cap ramifications would make a trade complicated. Perhaps a post-June 1 trade would make more sense from the standpoint of managing the cap, though that would mean the Eagles would get back draft-pick compensation for 2027, as opposed to being able to take a player(s) that could help them this season. 

We also don't know exactly how highly Brown is thought of around the league at this point. He had 78 catches for 1,003 yards in 2026. Do suitors think with a change of scenery he could still be a top-five receiver? Or, ahead of his age-29 season, is he viewed as still very good, but not quite as physically gifted as he was a few years ago? 

While this isn't a Nick Castellanos-type situation where the Eagles are signaling from the get-go that the relationship can't be salvaged, it's hard to feel like Brown is definitely going to be back when you hear answers like what Sirianni gave last week.   

"Will A.J. be here next season? I think we're still in a spot, like, I can't guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season. I'm thinking I'm going to be the coach next season but you can't guarantee anything past tomorrow," Sirianni said.