A.J. Brown Trade Reportedly Eyed by NFL Execs, Eagles Rejected Offseason Inquiries

As the Philadelphia Eagles look to defuse any potential issues A.J. Brown might be having with the offense, opposing teams are at least keeping an eye on his the star receiver as a future trade candidate.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, rival executives are "watching" the situation in Philadelphia to see if Brown becomes available.

Russini also noted some teams at least inquired about Brown's availability in the offseason, but the Eagles said there was "no chance" they were moving the three-time Pro Bowler.

One general manager suggested to Russini that the combined salaries of Brown and DeVonta Smith in a run-heavy offense might entice the Eagles to trade one of their star receivers at some point.

"They are paying roughly $50 million to two wide receivers (Brown and Smith), and they aren't even that involved," the GM said. "They may move on simply because Philly is a run-heavy team."

Brown has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL this week after his cryptic social media post with a Bible verse: "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."

It came in the wake of Brown having just seven yards on two receptions in the Eagles' 31-25 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Brown said his "message truly wasn't directed at anyone in the building" and he takes "full accountability" for the stir it caused.

Even though Brown leads the Eagles in targets, he has only been thrown at 28 times in four games. By comparison, he averaged a career-high 9.3 targets per game during the 2023 season and 7.5 per game last season.

Beyond the volume of targets Brown is getting, the quality of them has also left a lot to be desired. In the Bucs game, for instance, only two traveled more than 10 air yards.

Brown is also averaging a career-low 10.8 yards per reception. He has never averaged fewer than 13.7 yards per catch in the previous six seasons.

The Eagles gave Brown a three-year, $96 million contract extension in April 2024 that runs through the 2029 season. His deal includes a potential out after 2026 that would leave Philadelphia with a manageable $13.9 million dead cap hit.

All of this seems very premature to even think about because the Eagles are off to a 4-0 start and once again look like the team to beat in the NFC. History suggests that Brown will be a big part of the offense at some point, even if it is frustrating to him right now.