I’ll admit: There are no great options in what feels like an inevitable A.J. Brown trade.
Even as someone who thinks the marriage is over and it’s time for Brown and the Eagles to go their separate ways, this doesn’t feel like an easy divorce. Every possible resolution, even if good compensation comes back to Philadelphia from the team acquiring Brown, comes with a pit fall.
But when weighing the pros and cons of trading Brown ASAP (between now and the NFL Draft) or holding him post-June 1 (to lower the cap hit the Eagles take when trading him), one clear path makes the most sense.
Do it now.
I recognize the $40M-plus cap hit that would incur with a Brown trade that goes down before June 1. That stinks. It impacts things. It’s a deterrent. I get it. But as I see it, it’s the only deterrent to doing a deal right now.
Now you may argue that it’s a big deterrent, but I’d point to the cap hit the Eagles took on Carson Wentz (then the biggest in NFL history), what the Broncos did to move off Russell Wilson ($86M) and what the Dolphins are about to eat to move off Tua Tagovailoa ($99M). Dead cap isn’t the boogey man we make it out to be for NFL front offices.
Instead, think about all the possible pitfalls of keeping Brown through June and hoping to make a deal before training camp.
-Suitors (Buffalo, New England, Baltimore, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers) will be able to go through an entire free agency and draft cycle to fill needs at wide receiver.
-This draft class is loaded at the position Brown plays. Brian Baldinger ranked 20 wide receivers in his initial top-100 players.
-The closer we get to the season, the bigger stink Brown could put up. He’s playing nice—for now. That likely won’t last.
-Hoping or expecting an injury (similar to how the Eagles landed a first-round pick for Sam Bradford in 2016) feels like a far-fetched idea.
-Knowing if Brown will or won’t be on the books for future years can only help Howie Roseman as free agency begins. It’s the not knowing that could lead to roster uncertainity.
The Brown thing isn’t easy. I realize it’s hard to trade away players like this. But it’s pretty clear to me that he doesn’t want to be here any longer. It’s also clear the Eagles best chance to create any sort of leverage and market is now, before NFL free agency and the draft.
Do it now.
Maxx Crosby to the Eagles?
Trust me on quarterbacks. These three guys have my attention in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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