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Most Likely To Be Traded: Non-AJ Brown Edition
I think I can safely say that we are all tired of the will they or won’t they trade AJ Brown no matter which side of the discussion you sit on. So let’s discuss something different. What non-AJ Brown under the radar player that is currently on the roster do you think is most likely to be traded between now and the start of the season?
I’ll start: Tyler Steen
Tyler Steen was a serviceable OG last year with a PFF grade of 73.4 (put whatever weight on that that you desire), which ranked 13th amongst guards in their rankings. I think we can easily say that Steen was not the cause of the offensive line’s drop-off in play last year and that he is a decent starter in the league.
So why would the Eagles trade Steen especially when we have concerns for Landon’s and Cam’s longevity? Well, for one thing he is in the last year of his rookie contract so if they are going to capitalize on his value, this is the year to do it and there are a ton of teams that need OL help. Marry that with the fact that we are likely to draft 1-2 OL in the first few picks in 2026 and suddenly the OL room is crowded:
Mailata, Dickerson, Jurgens, Steen, Johnson, Drew Kendall, Miles Hinton, Connor Williams, Willie Lampkin, Hollin Pierce + 2 high draft picks. That’s 12 OL for what typically amounts to 9-10 rostered players along with a couple stashed on the practice squad.
The issue with extending Steen is that 4 other linemen are making top tier money at their positions and the offense needs to get younger and cheaper as the defensive stars are getting ready to be paid (or in the case of Davis already being paid).
Note that Steen is a fine guard and the Eagles would be better having him on the roster for 2026. He’ll likely get a decent long-term extension that still will command north of $13-14M/year (for reference, Seumalo got 3yr/$31.5M and is 32 years old and was ranked just behind Steen, who is 7 years younger). Is that affordable for the Eagles? Sure, but they are going to have to make hard decisions and for this exercise, the cost vs replacement and savings with a rookie contract is the deciding factor when considering future cap allocations.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Win-now? Rebuild? What NFL teams’ initial free agency moves revealed – The Athletic
Philadelphia Eagles. To me, the Eagles have the highest variance of any NFL team in 2026. At their best or middle-best, though, they are a playoff team and so are in this bucket. Free agency for them has thus far been headlined by GM Howie Roseman’s aggressive attempts to build a trade market for receiver A.J. Brown, who remains on their roster. And yet other moves were classic of this Eagles era: signing their own good players and keeping a roster strength intact. In this case, things kicked off with their extension of defensive lineman Jordan Davis. Most interesting move: Signing cornerback Riq Woolen to a one-year deal worth up to $15 million. If pairing Woolen with Cooper DeJean (slot/safety) and Quinyon Mitchell (perimeter cornerback) works, this will be as dominant a secondary as there is in the NFL right now.
To me, the Eagles’ Goedert dance – the tight end and his agent pushed back his contract void date twice as talks continued – kind of sums up what has so far been a “meh” offseason for a team that underachieved in 2025. Goedert led the team with 11 touchdowns last season, and was the Eagles’ top red zone target. Yet it seems that Goedert is back only because no market for him materialized in free agency. Management seemed largely indifferent to the prospect that he might leave, even though there is no adequate replacement on hand, and the resulting dead cap charge would have further complicated chances of trading A.J. Brown. (Which, I’m compelled to state one more time, will not make the Eagles a better team, whenever it happens.) Maybe the plan is to avoid another season of underachieving by lowering the talent level and thus expectations for 2026.
Jaylen Waddle trade affirms Eagles’ asking price for A.J. Brown – BGN
There was some buzz about the Broncos being interested in A.J. Brown. They clearly won’t be trading for him now. One fewer suitor for Brown doesn’t necessarily help the Eagles’ leverage. However … The Eagles’ reported asking price for Brown in a trade is further legitimatized with the Waddle trade. Though Waddle is about 1.5 years younger, Brown is a superior player. Here’s a look at their stats since 2021, which is when Waddle entered the NFL.
How Jaylen Waddle trade impacts Patriots’ outlook with A.J. Brown – Pats Pulpit
Considering all that, and what Waddle netted his now-former team, it is no stretch of the imagination that Brown would fetch the Eagles a similar return. The circumstances are different in that particular case, both financially and in terms of player motivation to move, but Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman has stood firm on his high asking price and this latest trade affirms his asking price. So far, the Patriots have not been willing to meet demands that reportedly also include a first-round draft choice. Of course, that does not necessarily mean the team is not ready to take big swings at the position.
Five players who make sense for the Eagles during the second week of free agency – PhillyVoice
Marcus Epps (30), S, Eagles (6’0, 198). Safeties got absolutely picked clean in free agency, so the Eagles are either going to have to trade for one or use a decent draft resource on one. In the meantime, I imagine they can pretty easily re-sign Epps, who was released by the Patriots before the start of the 2025 season. The Eagles scooped him up and he played in 12 games, missing four with an undisclosed injury in the middle of the season, before starting four December games against the Chargers, Raiders, Commanders, and Bills upon his return to the 53-man roster. He also started in the Eagles’ playoff loss to the 49ers. On the season, Epps had 21 tackles, and no other stats (no PBUs, FFs, or INTs). Epps is a solid backup at this stage of his career. He knows where he needs to be, but isn’t going to provide much in the way of splash plays. In addition to the need for a starter, they also need depth.
3 remaining positions of need after Eagles’ 1st wave of free agency – NBCSP
The Eagles this offseason watched as Reed Blankenship went to the Houston Texans on a three-year deal worth $24.75 million. That average annual salary of $8.25 million came in a little under what the Eagles probably expected Blankenship to get on the open market and they still let him walk. That is notable because it shouldn’t be a surprise to the Eagles that they now have a starting spot to fill this offseason. One of their two starting safety spots is going to be taken by second-year player Drew Mukuba. The second-round pick out of Texas got off to an uneven start in his rookie season and just as he began to find some consistency, he suffered a fractured ankle and was lost for the season. But there were enough good signs from Mukuba to be excited about his future. But the Eagles still need to figure out who’s starting next to him. One option would be to re-sign their own free agent Marcus Epps. Last season, the Eagles brought Epps back after he was released by the Patriots. Eventually, after Mukuba was out for the season, Epps started four games and was solid. The internal options would be Sydney Brown, Michael Carter II and Andre’ Sam. The intriguing name there is Carter, who is back on a restructured contract. Carter has mostly played nickel corner but began learning safety in Vic Fangio’s defense last year and could be given a chance to compete. And then there’s the draft if the Eagles want to pair Mukuba with a young running mate.
2026 NFL free agency: Roster moves, questions for 32 teams – ESPN
Biggest remaining roster hole: Edge rusher. The addition of outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie should prove beneficial to an edge group currently led by Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. But the Phillips departure left a sizable hole that the Eagles will want to fill between now and the start of the season. The expectation is they’ll continue to explore the trade market and free agency.
Brown averaged more than 60 catches a season over his first five years when he started for the Ravens and Cardinals. He is a guy that you can feed the ball to. At this point in his career he may be best suited to being a role player. Fran Duffy mentioned that Brown could be used in the offense the way the Rams use Tutu Atwell, another undersized speed receiver. Brown only averages 11.6 yards per catch for his career so he’s not necessarily a big play guy. He does have the speed to stretch the defense, which is likely why the Eagles wanted him. If he goes deep, that will open things up for DeVonta and the other starting receiver (AJ or whoever gets signed/drafted).
Daniel Jeremiah 2026 NFL mock draft 3.0: RB Jeremiyah Love, LB Sonny Styles crack top five – NFL.com
23) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: OT Kadyn Proctor. When it comes to addressing needs, GM Howie Roseman tends to be a year early instead of a year late. Right tackle Lane Johnson is under contract through 2027 — but the Eagles get some insurance for the 13-year veteran now. Proctor could also slide inside to guard if needed. [BLG Note: Interesting to see Jeremiah has the Eagles passing on TE Kenyon Sadiq, who falls to No. 27 here.]
Chiefs News 3/18: Hollywood Brown signs with Eagles – Arrowhead Pride
Eagles, WR Hollywood Brown agree to one-year deal | ESPN. Hollywood Brown, 28, spent the past two years with the Kansas City Chiefs, most of the time as the third receiver for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In 16 games last season, Brown produced 49 receptions for 587 yards and five touchdowns.
Cowboys pass the Eagles for the NFL team with the most $20 million players – Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys are making it clear that they are not just here to play. They are here to pay. With the recent trade for edge rusher Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers, Jerry Jones has once again proven that his checkbook is always open if the right player becomes available. Gary isn’t the big-name pass rusher Cowboys fans were hoping for, but he only comes at the low price of a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, with the bigger burden coming in the form of his salary, which will cost the Cowboys a smidge over $40 million over the next two seasons. This latest acquisition brings the Cowboys’ grand total to nine players with an annual average salary of at least $20 million, officially nudging them past the Philadelphia Eagles, who currently sit at eight. That’s right, Jerry has jumped Howie Roseman in the number of high-priced players he has on this roster.
How long are you willing to wait for Brandon Aiyuk? – Hogs Haven
The overwhelming consensus among the NFL community is that the Washington Commanders are the next home for disgruntled San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The storyline is overbearing, specifically in the 49ers’ and Commanders’ circles, as the majority of fans and local media are just waiting for each team’s next move. How long is Washington, if they are truly ready to take on Aiyuk, willing to wait for the 28-year-old receiver? There is no incentive for the 49ers to release Aiyuk right now or in the foreseeable future. It could be a long wait for any team willing to offer Aiyuk a contract. So, can Washington rip the band-aid off and simply trade for him?
NY Giants news: Wyatt Teller to Texans, Giants re-sign former third-round pick – Big Blue View
East Rutherford, N.J., or at least the little corner of it at 1925 Giants Drive, might need to be renamed ‘Clean Slate City’. Ezeudu joins 2022 No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal as the second failed offensive lineman from GM Joe Schoen’s first draft class to get a second chance under new head coach John Harbaugh. Drafted 67th overall out of North Carolina as a guard, the Giants tried to make him a tackle in 2023 and 2024 after he failed to win a starting job. That, as Giants fans know, failed miserably.
Michael: I think an unsung winner of this free agency period has been the Carolina Panthers. They won their division in 2025 (yeah yeah 8-9 record and all) but they’ve got some pieces on both sides of the ball on which they’ve been able to build upon. They brought out the Brinks truck for Jaelan Phillips, who got $30 million a year to be their top edge rusher. They then signed top free agent linebacker Devin Lloyd for $15 million per year. On offense, they return their run game, a developing Bryce Young, and the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year in wideout Tet McMillan. I think the Panthers will take another step forward in 2026 with a repeat of the division crown. That’s my bold call for this next season, as well.
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