From a dominant showing to win the Super Bowl to an embarrassing loss in the Wild Card Round, the Philadelphia Eagles were a rough watch last season. The defense wasn’t nearly as consistent, Saquon Barkley wasn’t on a historic tear, and the offense sputtered as a result.
A lot of the blame fell on A.J. Brown, who seemed like a prime candidate to be traded in the summer. So far, nothing has come to pass, but one insider still believes the move is coming sooner rather than later.
Will the Philadelphia Eagles Trade A.J. Brown?
Ranking among the worst teams when it came to 3-and-out percentages, the Eagles’ offense finished at No. 16 on PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metrics. Ice-cold stretches where they wouldn’t score for entire halves on end were a common sight throughout the season.
As a result, some change was necessary. Replacing Kevin Patullo as the offensive coordinator may have been the first step in that direction, but the disconnect with Brown needed some resolution.
Throughout the year, the superstar wide receiver was very vocal about his touches and the state of the offense. Nothing has come to pass yet, but an in-his-prime wideout who has put up 1,000 yards in all but one season of his career is always going to be in demand.
Even last year, despite all the complaints, he finished with 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games, ranking at No. 21 on PFSN’s NFL WR Impact Metrics, his lowest finish since his final year with the Tennessee Titans.
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But with most of the offense remaining untouched, the possibility of a trade cannot be ruled out. Moreover, team insider Jeff McLane joined the dots from statements by general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni.
His first piece of evidence was: “Last month, before and at the combine, they said they weren’t inclined to part with great players like Brown, but wouldn’t close the door on listening to offers.” That tune hasn’t changed completely.
“This time around, after weeks of reports and speculation about the mercurial receiver’s future, Roseman and Sirianni simply stated the obvious — that Brown is still an Eagle. That is a fact. For now.”
However, the one area he believes might interest fans in Philadelphia is Sirianni, who was more direct with his assessment. “But Sirianni didn’t answer whether Brown would show for the start of voluntary offseason workouts on April 20.”
Finally, he offered one last piece of verdict. “The Eagles did little to quell a growing sense from league insiders that a trade has become more of an inevitability than an uncertainty.” If a trade does come to pass, though, everyone’s eyes will be fixed on the New England Patriots.
Why the New England Patriots Are a Potential Trade Destination for Brown
The Patriots built their run to the Super Bowl on an MVP-caliber leap from Drake Maye, a new head coach in Mike Vrabel, and a historically easy schedule. However, things might not fall perfectly for them next year.
As a result, the offense needs improvement, particularly in the wide receiver group. After parting ways with Stefon Diggs, the group is pretty bare bones right now, making a trade for Brown the ideal source of speculation, especially due to his pre-existing relationship with Vrabel from his time in Tennessee.
During the NFL’s annual meeting, Vrabel didn’t shy away from that speculation either. “We’ve talked about this since last January. We’re going to try to do everything we can to strengthen our roster through the draft, through free agency, multiple ways of player acquisition.”
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Rather than deny it, it seemed like the veteran head coach was embracing the idea of Brown joining the Patriots as their No. 1 wide receiver. “So anything that we can continue to do to strengthen the roster, we’re going to try to do.”
It remains to be seen if the two sides can work out a deal, especially with the price for blockbuster trades rising, seemingly by the second. But if they can work a move out, it could give New England renewed hope of building on, or even improving on, their success from last season.
