The wide receiver market saw some movement as the Denver Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle and the Philadelphia Eagles signed Marquise Brown. After these moves, how do they affect the future of Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown?
Broncos Pass on A.J. Brown as Trade Cost and Fit Raise Concerns
While appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Adam Schefter was asked if there was any interest in Brown by the Broncos. Schefter said, “Denver, I never heard was involved in any talks with Brown at all.” There are a couple of reasons why it makes sense that the Broncos did not pursue Brown.
First, a Brown-to-Broncos deal would also be hard to pull off. The Broncos are picking 30th in the draft. There is a chance that the Eagles would want a higher draft pick for a great player like Brown.
Brown is coming off a bit of a down year. Brown had 12.9 yards per catch, which is his lowest in his career. However, when Brown is at his best, he is one of the best receivers in the league. In 2024, according to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, Brown received an A- grade, third among wide receivers. So, if Denver wanted Brown, they would have to give up quite the haul.
“I never heard that Denver was involved in any talks for AJ Brown..
If the Eagles are gonna trade him it makes sense to do it post June 1″ ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/M7FZdsaOg3 — Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 17, 2026
It also makes sense that the Broncos were not interested in Brown. The reason is that Brown is very similar to the Broncos’ No. 1 wideout, Courtland Sutton. Sutton and Brown have both made their names as tough, physical possession receivers.
Sure, both can be solid after the catch as they have solid speed and acceleration. However, both wide receivers have made a name for themselves by boxing out opposing defensive backs with their great frames and catch ability.
Waddle’s strengths are speed and acceleration, whereas Brown’s are physicality and strength. So, Waddle gives Denver head coach Sean Payton a different flavor of wideout in his offense.
Now that Brown is not going to the Broncos, where could he go? Schefter went on to say that fans should be patient for a Brown trade. If it were to happen, it would happen post-June 1, which makes a lot of sense for a couple of reasons. First off, this is a great receiver draft class in the NFL.
ASU’s Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, and USC’s Makai Lemon are just some of the top receivers in this class. As great as Brown is, he will be 29 by the time the 2026 NFL season kicks off. So, if a team wants to go with a younger option, the draft would be the spot to do so.
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Second, Schefter said that during training camp in the summer, a team’s receiver could suffer an injury, and the team could look to get Brown. There could be a team that does not need Brown right now but could need him in the summer if an injury were to happen.
Overall, the Waddle trade is an interesting domino to fall in the Brown trade saga. That’s one fewer team that could pursue Brown.
