Some seem to believe that A.J. Brown’s recent public comments indicate he’ll definitely be back with the Philadelphia Eagles next season. Case closed.
The sense here is that sentiment is more wishful thinking than reality.
Recent reporting claims Brown’s “relationship with the team remains somewhat tenuous.” One NFL insider said he expects Brown trade talks to pick up at the NFL Combine, which is typically a precursor to NFL free agency activity.
The latest on Brown comes from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who had the following to say on Thursday morning’s edition of Get Up:
“Well, some people I’ve talked to around the league, some executives of other teams, do expect that the Eagles will at least entertain a trade for A.J. Brown, who was unhappy on numerous fronts. I mean, name the counts where he looked like he was miserable out there, body language wasn’t good. So, something has to give. That’s sort of the feeling right now. They could build around DeVonta Smith and some other pieces, Saquon [Barkley], maybe add a wide receiver. So, he would create a haul for the Eagles if they do go that route. Nothing has happened as of yet. But there are a lot of changes coming with the Eagles. We’ve seen them revamp basically their entire offensive staff. Do they pay Jalen Carter?
One question around the league is do they draft a quarterback, maybe in Day 2? Apply a little bit of pressure on Jalen Hurts, who I believe is at a crossroad right now after the way last season went. And Jalen Hurts was drafted in the second round, eventually replaced Carson Wentz, who got a massive deal just that offseason before. Does that same thing now happen to Jalen Hurts eventually?“
A few topics to unpack here: Brown, Carter, and drafting a quarterback.
THOUGHTS ON A.J. BROWN
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard an NFL insider claiming that other teams expect the Eagles to entertain Brown trade offers. We previously heard a lot of that chatter prior to last season’s trade deadline. Obviously, a deal didn’t materialize. But trading him now is more realistic than it was back then. Yes, even with the seemingly prohibitive financial implications that actually aren’t totally disqualifying.
The prospect of the Eagles trading Brown is not ideal or fun to think about. Well, for most people. There seem to be some who are understandably frustrated with Brown and want him gone. That is NOT my position. However, just because I don’t think the Eagles should move Brown means I’m going to ignore that it seems likely to happen. To a much larger point, there’s too much of “I don’t want this to be true, so, therefore it isn’t!” going on in today’s world. As it specifically relates to Brown, there’s too much evidence that suggests he doesn’t want to be here. And, no, I don’t think the Eagles hiring Sean Mannion suddenly changes his mind. Brown has expressed discontent with Eagles offensive issues dating back to the 2024 season. Bleeding Green Nation reported that he asked for a trade multiple times last year and as early as after Week 3. Brown clearly sounded defeated, saying his situation was a “shitshow” and he was “struggling” mentally. He literally told people to drop him from their fantasy teams. How often have you heard an athlete say that? Has it ever happened before? Further, Brown’s frustration showed on the field with a lack of emotional investment and effort. I just don’t think he wants to be here. I wish I didn’t feel that way. But it’s just the likelihood that’s in front of us.
THOUGHTS ON JALEN CARTER
Just a quick line thrown in by Fowler: “Do they pay Jalen Carter?“
I’m guessing no. At least, not this offseason. Of course, I’m not as privy to Carter’s medical situation as the team is. If they’re not worried at all about his long-term health, well, an extension is more likely.
I’m still bullish on Carter’s upside. But there’s no denying 2025 was a disappointing season for him. Carter posted a career low in sacks, TFLs, and quarterback hits as he played just 11 games. Despite this, he still earned Pro Bowl honors. And there’s no doubt he’s very good when he’s playing at his best. We just didn’t see that version of him enough last year. His massive 2024 workload clearly took a toll on him that carried over into 2025.
Maybe Carter will be healthy and more effective in 2026. If the Eagles feel confident that’s going to be the case, they could look to pay him now. I don’t think they’re going to get much of a discount but it will be cheaper than paying him later if he has an All-Pro kind of year next season.
Part of what makes the Carter contract projection unclear is how the Eagles will handle their other young defensive tackles. Jordan Davis is going to be a free agent after 2026, so, one would think he’s the priority in terms of getting a deal done. Moro Ojomo will also be a free agent after 2026. Are the Eagles comfortable with letting him walk like they were with Milton Williams?
Carter is extension eligible but he will be under contract through 2027 after the Eagles pick up his fifth-year option this offseason, which is very likely.
THOUGHTS ON DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK
So, it obviously depends on who’s available where they’re picking, but I can totally buy the Eagles picking a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Let’s set Jalen Hurts aside for a moment and focus on what the Eagles have behind him. It’s really just Tanner McKee, who is set to be a free agent after the 2026 season. Sam Howell is set to be a free agent in March.
It’s not perfectly clear what McKee could fetch if the Eagles trade him. But this is probably their last offseason to move him and get value in return. One would guess that McKee will look to sign elsewhere once his rookie contract is up. He might be able to join a team where he has a better path to playing time.
The Eagles could decide to keep McKee if there’s a really weak market for him. If not, they might look to sign an experienced veteran to have behind Hurts. But that route likely won’t be cheap; backup QBs cost real money in today’s NFL. Zach Wilson cost $6 million for one year in 2025. Ditto for Jarrett Stidham. Mason Rudolph was just under $4 million. These aren’t even some of the better backups in the league, like Marcus Mariota, who cost $8 million.
After Super Bowl LII, no NFL team can better attest to the importance of a quality backup quarterback quite like the Eagles can. It could be surprising, then, to see them go into a season with a rookie backing up Hurts. But having a quarterback on a rookie deal would be financially beneficial.
And in the event that the Eagles do want to pivot away from Hurts (not saying that’s the likely case here, just that it’s possible), well, the new young quarterback could be an option for them. Just like Hurts once was when the Eagles moved on from Wentz.
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