A.J. Brown has reportedly been unhappy with his diminishing role for the Philadelphia Eagles, as he’s coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career. The wide receiver has been involved in numerous trade rumors due to this situation, and reports indicate he will be dealt in the coming weeks. Former NFL legend Steve Smith Sr. discussed the situation and took issue with how Brown is being portrayed.
Steve Smith Sr. Defends A.J. Brown Amid WR’s Trade Rumors
Many around the NFL have reported that Brown will be traded by the Eagles following the June 1st designation. The wide receiver has attracted his fair share of criticism for his role in the Eagles’ poor season last year, with many believing his poor attitude has negatively impacted the team.
This has led some to adopt the view that the Eagles would be better off without him and would benefit from trading him. Smith is not among those who share this view, as he recently defended Brown during a segment on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“They are not better without him. Over time, just like everything else, people move on, and they’re going to have to move on,” Smith said. “Some people may not like the way that he’s aired their dirty laundry, but don’t make it seem like he’s a headache and he’s a problem child, because he’s not, just because he’s expressing and expecting that he wants to be better.”
Smith went on to call out the fans who have been critical of the star wide receiver and essentially accused them of contradicting themselves. He explained that they will attack a player when they underperform, but if they want to go to a new situation where they believe they can thrive, they also get roasted for being a distraction.
“I don’t understand why people are so upset at athletes wanting to be good, when half of the time the fans are complaining about you didn’t make that catch because of my fantasy team, or you didn’t do this because that impacted my betting line,” Smith added. “All of that stuff, and all of a sudden, now there’s a problem. So I’m not buying it.
The important June 1st date is just days away, so if the Eagles are going to trade him, it will likely happen soon. Waiting until after this day will allow them to spread his dead cap money across two seasons instead of one, providing them with additional financial flexibility.
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Most expect him to be traded to the New England Patriots, where he will reunite with Mike Vrabel, whom he played for previously with the Tennessee Titans.
Brown finished among the top five wide receivers in PFSN’s Impact Rankings twice in three years with his former team under Vrabel.
