The Philadelphia Eagles could see a significant change soon, as wide receiver A.J. Brown could be out the door, and Indiana star Omar Cooper Jr. could fill the void. Talks of Brown leaving Philadelphia have been circling for a while now, leaving his future up in the air come June 1. The Eagles have a loaded offense, which shouldn’t leave them crippled if the wideout leaves, but adding a new name to help carry the team forward would be smart.
How does Cooper fit into the picture?
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. Could Fill A.J. Brown’s Role for the Eagles
The Eagles suffered an uncharacteristically down year in 2025, dropping out in the Wild Card Round despite going 11-6. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and company did what needed to be done to clinch the NFC East; however, they lacked the usual punch that saw them win out in Super Bowl LIX.
With Brown’s potential departure now demanding attention, Howie Roseman and the front office need to start thinking long-term at wideout. They already have DeVonta Smith, and a youngster like Cooper should be highly successful in head coach Nick Sirianni’s system.
ESPN’s Field Yates argued strongly for Philadelphia to pursue the Indiana product in the first round.
“Though wide receiver A.J. Brown is still with the Eagles, the fact that the team reportedly had discussions for a trade tells you it’s still possible something happens after June 1, when it becomes more palatable from a salary cap standpoint,” Yates wrote. “Of course, Philadelphia would be thin long term at receiver without Brown, which is where Cooper could help.”
The wideout was an invaluable cog in the Hoosiers’ national championship run last season under Curt Cignetti (80.0 PFSN CFB Impact). He was Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s favorite target, catching 69 balls for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He also possesses solid running ability, taking the 5 carries he was given over the last 2 seasons for 97 yards and 2 scores. “He’s one of the best players in space from this class, averaging 7.3 yards after the catch in 2025,” Yates wrote. “Plus, he can block extremely well downfield, which would fare well for running back Saquon Barkley.”
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Brown’s physique allows him to be a very strong blocker downfield, leaving a much larger void. As such, Cooper’s blocking ability should be of great value to Philadelphia’s run game. Sirianni and the Eagles would want to redeem themselves in 2026, and picking up a solid offensive piece in the draft could be key to their success.
