The Philadelphia Eagles were in need of a dynamic X receiver to complement last year’s first-round pick DeVonta Smith, and they used their second first-round pick (18th overall) and one of their two third-round picks (101st overall) to land one, acquiring Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Brown.
Shortly after trading up from No. 15 to No. 13 for Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, the Eagles reached an agreement with the Titans for Brown, who was seeking a new extension in the wake of several massive deals for fellow wideouts like Davante Adams, Christian Kirk, and Tyreek Hill.
Eagles trade for Titans WR A.J. Brown
The Eagles traded for Brown on Thursday night and immediately agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension with $57 million in guaranteed money, Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson confirmed. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the extension.
Brown, a 2019 second-round pick, was set to make $3.98 million in the final year of his rookie contract. Now, Brown, the team’s new top wideout and QB Jalen Hurts’ best friend, will be under contract for the next five campaigns.
Let’s grade the pick.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans had their backs against the wall with Brown’s contract demands and made the most of the situation, trading him for the 18th and 101st overall picks. The Titans then used the 18th overall pick to select Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks, who has a comparable skill set.
Burks was a standout at Arkansas and produced 66 catches for 1,104 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound wideout will bring toughness and competitiveness to the Titans’ passing game in the wake of Brown’s departure. While trading away a 25-year-old Pro Bowl wideout is never a good thing, the Titans tried to make the best of a bad situation.
GRADE: B-
Philadelphia Eagles
To be frank, this is an absolute home run for the Eagles. The team has lacked a dynamic X receiver for several seasons, and Brown is an ascending playmaker with tremendous upside. In three seasons, Brown has produced 185 catches for 2,995 yards and 26 touchdowns.
With Brown and Smith on the outside, and Quez Watkins in the slot, Hurts is set up to succeed in a year that needs to be a success for the QB. Hurts struggled to make consistent plays downfield last season, and with his longtime friendship with Brown, their chemistry should be automatic.
Brown is the biggest veteran wideout addition the Eagles have made since Terrell Owens, and the star wideout is likely to wear Owens’ No. 81 in Philly for the next five years.
The Eagles no longer have to do the first-round wideout dance. After spending back-to-back Day 1 selections on wideout prospects in 2020 and 2021, the Eagles wised up and sent their second first-round pick to the Titans for the real thing: a proven Pro Bowl playmaker.
GRADE: A
A.J. Brown
Brown wanted an extension, and boy did he get a big one. He is now set to play with a dynamic Z receiver in Smith and his close friend in Hurts. With $57 million in guaranteed money and a $25 million annual average salary on the new extension, Brown made out like a bandit in his new city.
Again, slam dunk for Brown and the Eagles.
GRADE: A+