The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a challenging decision with A.J. Brown, one that needs to be made.
Over the years, the organization has shown a willingness to move on from stars when the time comes, even if it comes with some backlash.
On the surface, moving Brown would be tough to justify. Brown is one of the NFL’s top wide receivers and has been a player who can go out and make plays when it matters most.
However, the attitude is tough to ignore.
According to ESPN, there is a growing belief that the Eagles could explore trading Brown, with the Buffalo Bills emerging as a potential landing spot.
“Brown's happy-to-be-here quotient in Philly is miserably low. He's a great player and great players are hard to replace. But the Eagles have never been scared to make a move due to the salary cap implications. The Eagles actually can save $7 million on the cap by trading Brown after June 1.
“And it feels like it's time. Some league execs have felt that way since October,” Jeremy Fowler wrote.
When league executives start whispering about a star player being trade, it usually means something could happen. At the same time, it doesn’t mean everything.
Brown has been visibly frustrated at times, and while trying to win is part of what makes him great, it’s also been a bit much.
"The Bills have to upgrade there -- their best receiver is Khalil Shakir, who is a nice player but he's not a top guy," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "Brown is an immediate upgrade and he's still young [turning 29 in June]. And the Eagles can build the passing game around DeVonta Smith and a high draft pick."
The Buffalo Bills, meanwhile, make sense. They are desperately searching for a true No. 1 receiver to pair with Josh Allen, and their championship window is only getting shorter. The Bills' firing Sean McDermott could also have some impact on trying to do other things.
Regarding the Eagles, a lot of this would come down to what they get in return. If Philadelphia isn’t happy with its return, there’s no reason to trade him just to do it.