The Philadelphia Eagles head into a crucial Wild Card round game against the San Francisco 49ers, which could potentially be the final game with the team for one of their stars. Much of the conversation in the offseason is expected to be focused on whether Philadelphia would consider dealing star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
A.J. Brown Contract Details
In the days since the trade deadline passed, the speculation has only grown, with fans and analysts picking apart everything from Brown’s snaps to his sideline mannerisms. The heightened attention has created a tense environment in Philadelphia, with even minor developments fueling theories about his future.
Earlier this season, Brown missed time with a hamstring issue, though some questioned whether the injury provided cover for a brief benching tied to his social media activity after the Eagles’ Week 7 win over the Vikings.
On Nov. 4, Bleacher Report published an article based on Dianna Russini’s reporting for The Athletic. The Eagles signed Brown to a three-year, $96 million extension in April 2024, securing him through the 2029 season. The contract includes a potential out after 2026, which would leave Philadelphia with a manageable $13.9 million in dead money if they decide to move on at that point.
Philadelphia now finds itself walking a fine line. Many believe Brown may be frustrated with his role in the offense, and if that feeling persists, a trade becomes more likely once the contract becomes easier to move.
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The Eagles would need to wait until the 2026 NFL offseason for a manageable $13.9 million cap hit, but dealing him in the upcoming offseason would clear $23.39 million off the books. However, they’d almost certainly need to retain part of the salary.
Even if Brown is 29 next season, he remains a high-end receiver with the ability to elevate any offense. Should the Eagles explore a trade, they’d still expect a strong haul in return.
Furthermore, the impact Brown can have on a game if he gets the ball in his hands makes it difficult to see a trade happening. According to PFSN’s WR Impact metric, the Eagles star is the 21sth-ranked receiver in the league this season. Still, if Philadelphia gets him involved on offense, Brown can be the best wideout in the league.
If Philadelphia does decide to ship Brown off next offseason, they’ll still be looking for a great deal of compensation. Even though he will be 29 next season, the veteran still has plenty of juice left in the tank to help elevate a team.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Stats and Insights for Wild Card Round
Team: The Eagles experienced a decline this season, averaging 22.3 points per game and allowing 19.1, compared to last season’s 27.2 points scored and 17.8 allowed.
Playoffs: The Eagles under Nick Sirianni are 5-0 at home in the postseason, winning by an average of 21.0 points per game.
QB: Jalen Hurts’ QBi of 87.2 (B+) in last season’s NFC Championship game was the best score in his nine career postseason games. He registered an 81.2 (B-) in the Super Bowl.
OFF: In his first three seasons with the Eagles, A.J. Brown averaged 5.6 receptions on 8.5 targets for 85.8 yards per game. This season, while his receptions (5.2) and targets (8.1) per game remained close to those averages, his yards per game dropped to 66.9.
His WRi grade was B+ or better, which was good for a top-nine finish the first three seasons in Philadelphia. However, this season, his grade was B- and he finished 21st.
DEF:Â The Eagles finished with a DEFi score of 83.0 and a final ranking of seventh. They had five weeks ranked in the top five in DEFi.
