A.J. Brown holds the Eagles’ single-season record for receiving yards, setting it in his first season with the team. The former Titans draftee is 2-for-2 in 1,000-yard years since, establishing himself as one of the greatest receivers in Eagles history. But Philly’s top target took a statistical step back last season — and he was not involved much in Week 1.
Saquon Barkley‘s arrival became a key factor in the Eagles shifting to a run-oriented offense, and Brown totaled 1,079 yards in 2024. That came after back-to-back 1,400-yard seasons. Brown’s step back did involve three missed games due to injury, but he finished with 97 targets — after 145- and 158-target seasons to open his Philly run.
Teams undoubtedly noticed the course change, even as it came following an offseason in which Brown signed a then-record $32MM-per-year extension. That deal ties Brown to the Eagles through 2029. With Philadelphia showing a continued interest in trades during Howie Roseman‘s second stint with full roster control, teams asked about Brown this offseason. Philly, however, shut down those inquiries, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Any trade involving Brown this past offseason would have needed to come after June 1. Otherwise, Philly would have taken on an untenable $59.8MM in dead money. By remaining on the Eagles’ roster as of Day 3 of the 2025 league year, Brown saw his $29MM in 2026 compensation become fully guaranteed. Much of that was tied up in an option bonus, a cap maneuver the Eagles have taken increasingly in recent years.
Because the rolling guarantee structure in Brown’s contract locked in his 2026 money early, the Pro Bowl wideout would tag the Eagles with more than $43MM in dead cap if he is moved before June 1 next year. A post-June 1 Brown trade in 2026, per OverTheCap, would mean a dead cap charge of more than $16MM.
Considering Brown’s form and the Eagles’ well-defined pass-game hierarchy, a trade was never especially realistic from an on-field standpoint either this year. The big-bodied pass catcher remains Philly’s top weapon, and the Eagles landed Brown after multiple early-round whiffs (JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Jalen Reagor) at the position. The team did hit on DeVonta Smith in 2021 and extended him early (in 2024), but the offense having Brown over the past three-plus seasons has elevated its place in the game.
This partnership has brought hiccups, as Brown drew some scrutiny — for a move some deemed passive-aggressive — by reading a book on the sideline during the Eagles’ wild-card win last season. A trade before his second Eagles extension wraps should certainly be considered in play for one of the NFL’s top trading teams, but the NFC East power is defending a Super Bowl title.
That status undoubtedly influenced the team to find a solution (via a pay cut) with Dallas Goedert, who emerged as an offseason trade candidate. Brown’s role in the Eagles’ now-Barkley-centered offense will be worth closely monitoring this season — especially after a one-catch, eight-year Week 1 outing — but no pre-deadline deal would be realistic this year.