Trade offers for Eagles’ A.J. Brown: Four potential new teamsplayWhy Louis Riddick says Bills should pursue A.J. Brown (2:00)The “Get Up” crew discusses whether the Eagles should trade A.J. Brown this offseason. (2:00)Jeremy FowlerClose
Jeremy Fowler
senior NFL national reporter
Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.
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Dan Graziano
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Dan Graziano
senior NFL national reporter
Dan Graziano is a senior NFL national reporter for ESPN, covering the entire league and breaking news. Dan also contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now. He is a New Jersey native who joined ESPN in 2011, and he is also the author of two published novels.
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Tim McManus
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Tim McManus
ESPN Staff Writer
Tim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after covering the Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine’s Birds 24/7, a site he helped create, since 2010.
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Ben Solak
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Ben Solak
ESPN
Ben Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst. He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Nation and The Draft Network.
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Seth Walder
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Seth Walder
ESPN Analytics
Seth Walder is an analytics writer at ESPN, specializing in quantitative analysis. He is also a regular on “ESPN Bet Live” and helps cover sports betting. Seth has been at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at the New York Daily News covering the Jets and Giants. You can follow Seth on X via @SethWalder.
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Feb 19, 2026, 06:35 AM ET
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NFL teams can’t officially make trades until the new league year begins on March 11, but they can start negotiating and agreeing to terms before then. And one star player at the center of trade speculation is Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman downplayed any trade talks in January, but what if Brown really is available?
We asked NFL analysts Jeremy Fowler, Dan Graziano, Ben Solak and Seth Walder to play general manager of four different teams and craft realistic trade offers for Brown. Then we had Eagles reporter Tim McManus make a decision based on what Roseman and the team could do this offseason.
Here’s how our market simulation played out, starting with some background on Brown’s situation and ending with a verdict on a potential new landing spot.
Jump to:
Where things stand
Four offers | The verdict
The newest on a potential A.J. Brown trade
Brown has arguably been the best receiver in Eagles history, posting two 1,400-yard seasons while helping the team to a pair of Super Bowl appearances in four years. And he had 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns last season. But his frustrations over the passing game’s shortcomings rose to new levels in 2025 and appeared to affect his play.
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Video surfaced of Brown calling his situation a “s— show” in November, and he made his dissatisfaction known on several occasions before acquiescing to CEO Jeffrey Lurie’s request to tone down his public airings. The front office knows how vital Brown has been to the Eagles’ success, but they must determine whether he’ll commit to the operation and be aligned with quarterback Jalen Hurts moving forward.
If they are convinced that won’t happen, a trade might be in order. The Eagles would absorb a dead-cap hit of over $40 million if they deal him prior to June 1, compared to less than $20 million in dead cap if a trade is consummated after that date.
Any move would come with an initial sting but free up money over the long term, which they could use to help sign some of their rising stars in line for second contracts, including Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The team acquiring Brown would be responsible for his $29 million salary in 2026 and around $4 million in guaranteed money in 2027, per Roster Management System. — Tim McManus, Eagles reporter
Why this deal makes sense: They have two first-round picks (Nos. 6 and 24) after the Travis Hunter trade last April. They could use No. 6 on an offensive lineman and send No. 24 to the Eagles in exchange for Brown. This would immediately upgrade new head coach Todd Monken’s offense, giving the passing game a fighting chance alongside an already stout defense. Cleveland’s WR room totaled just 1,467 receiving yards in 2025, worst in the NFL.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry is an ex-Eagles exec who has rapport with Roseman. Cleveland has a penchant for the splash receiver trade, acquiring Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy during Berry’s tenure. All three players posted 1,000-yard seasons in Year 1 with the Browns.
Why this deal makes sense: Whether general manager Brandon Beane thinks so or not, quarterback Josh Allen could really benefit from a true No. 1 wide receiver to stress defenses. And Brown’s 2026 contract is not an overpay financially for a top WR.
It’s tough to imagine Buffalo getting a surefire, instant-impact playmaker at its current draft slot in the first round. So why not use it to get a veteran one? Is there a more win-now situation than Buffalo’s? As for the Eagles, a first-round pick for a 28-year-old wide receiver with only one year of guaranteed money left on his contract doesn’t sound like a bad return.
play
1:21
Will A.J. Brown still be with the Eagles next season?
Jeff Saturday and Dan Graziano debate whether A.J. Brown will still be playing for the Philadelphia Eagles next season.
Why this deal makes sense: One of the clear lessons of the Ravens’ 2025 season was that their current group of pass catchers is insufficient. While they might not need to make a move this drastic, they would benefit from having a receiver with size and contested-catch ability — something quarterback Lamar Jackson has never enjoyed in his seven seasons.
By replacing Bateman with Brown, the Ravens can give Brown a true WR1’s volume and use Zay Flowers as a big-play WR2 — something that fits his skill set more. In Philadelphia, DeVonta Smith is clearly destined to be WR1; Bateman represents a classic buy-low move from Roseman on a player with high draft capital but modest career production.
Figuring out a trade return for Brown is tough, as he doesn’t have many prime years left and will be expensive for the Eagles to trade pre-June 1. So I’m offering a deal centered on 2027 draft capital, including a conditional selection based on reaching 1,000 yards and making the playoffs in 2026.
Why this deal makes sense: The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl with a lacking receiver group that had only one player post over 600 yards (Stefon Diggs). But it won’t be as easy in 2026, as their regular-season schedule will be harder and it’s unlikely the sea of AFC teams with elite quarterbacks will part again for New England. Brown, who had a successful history with coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, is a logical fit to provide an instant upgrade.
Even though Brown’s production was down last season, the underlying metrics suggest he was still elite. Specifically, he finished sixth in ESPN’s overall receiver score and was in the top 10 in open score. Brown is hardly free, but he would add value on his current contract and level of play. The Patriots are surrendering their first-round pick here, but it’s really a large trade down since they get a second-round pick back.
The verdict: No offer gets the job done
Why would I want to make these teams better and mine worse? That has essentially been Roseman’s public stance on the situation. Brown is the type of player you try to acquire, not get rid of — and it makes total sense. So if I’m the Eagles here, I’m going to do everything in my power to make the situation work — and so long as the hope outweighs the doubt, I’m rejecting all four proposals.
Get ready for the NFL offseason• Every team’s offseason guide | Schedule
• Top free agents | Best draft prospects
• 11 trade proposals | 32 big questions
• QB market | Overhaul tiers | Draft order
• Coach hirings | Franchise tag candidates
Let’s assume for this exercise a trade is the only way forward. Then, I would accept Fowler’s offer from the Browns simply because it involves a higher first-round pick (No. 24) than Graziano’s offer from the Bills (No. 26). Walder’s proposal has a first-rounder but requires giving up a second-round pick, which would move me away from that Patriots option. And Solak’s proposal with the Ravens was interesting, but I wouldn’t walk away with a first-rounder.
Would there be pushback from Brown’s camp to try to get him to a more ready-made contender than Cleveland? I’d imagine so. But this is a lesson for both parties that the grass isn’t always greener. Sometimes, it’s more brown. — McManus
