Brown's volatile relationship with the Eagles sparks trade speculation. Can the Chargers acquire this prime, yet problematic, superstar receiver?
I did a post on whether the Los Angeles Chargers should trade for (then Miami Dolphins) WR Tyreek Hill, and then later did a post on whether the Chargers should sign (recently released by the Miami Dolphins) WR Tyreek Hill, so I guess I owe A.J. Brown a post, too.
Unlike Hill, who is coming off a gruesome injury and is entering the twilight of his career, Brown is a #1 WR in his prime. However, the relationship between him and the Philadelphia Eagles is quickly coming to a close.
A.J. Brown has spent much of his four years in Philadelphia complaining about the Eagles offense and his place in it, culminating in numerous trade demands and a few strange public statements....including the time he just started reading a book on the sidelines during a game:
A.J. Brown wants to be a WR1 on a team with a functional passing game and a QB known more for his arm than his legs, and that's fine. He'll also need a new contract soon, as I believe he can void the rest of his contract and opt into free agency after the 2027 season.
Howie Roseman, who always seems to get what he wants, is not being shy about his asking price for Brown. He reported wants a 1st round pick as well as a 2nd round pick or an equivalent talent at WR.
That might be asking a lot of the Chargers, but it also may not. If the Eagles were willing to take a pick way into the future, and liked Tre Harris as a potential starting NFL WR, acquiring Brown would likely be a massive upgrade to the Chargers passing attack.
That's on paper, though, and Brown has now proven himself to be a difficult problem for certain coaches and coaching staffs to deal with, not to mention the public criticism from Brown that Jalen Hurts has had to play through as the Eagles QB. That should lower the price for Brown, and maybe it already has, but I bet somebody pays it because his talent is so alluring.
Not only has Brown pretty much always been the best WR on his own team, he has shown the promise to be the best WR in the entire league. Mostly what has held him back is playing for defense-first teams (first Mike Vrabel's Titans and then the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl in 2024) and his shaky track record of availability.
I've written in the past about how Mike McDaniel made a name for himself coaching Deebo Samuel as a WR/RB in San Francisco and I imagine he would be thrilled to be given one of the only other players in the league that can match Deebo for size, speed and talent.
That being said, I don't think the Chargers want to put the fate of their 2026 season in the unsure hands of A.J. Brown. There's too much at stake for the team, the coaching staff and the front office to be playing with a grenade like that.