The Philadelphia Eagles have spent much of the past few days to weeks shutting down speculation surrounding A.J. Brown, but that hasn’t stopped some from suggesting that the Eagles could move on from him, including long-time talk show host Skip Bayless.
Bayless recently made a prediction, suggesting not only that Brown could be traded, but that the framework for a deal is already in place.
“I believe that AJ Brown will be traded on July the 2nd when the cap hit will fall from 40 to 20 million dollars,” Bayless said. “And if I know Howie, he’s already got a verbal agreement with somebody to trade him already.”
Since joining the Eagles, he’s continued to be one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers and an important piece of the Eagles’ offense. His chemistry with Jalen Hurts, his ability to make big plays, and his physical side of the game are all tools that have made him who he is.
However, Brown has also been a bit of an annoyance within the Eagles’ locker room and there’s a price to pay for that.
"Despite chatter late last week surrounding his status, Brown remains on Philadelphia’s roster for now. I still believe he has played his last down as an Eagle," Dianna Russini wrote, showing what could happen on the trade front this offseason. "Two teams, the Rams and Patriots, pushed hard to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler. But Eagles general manager Howie Roseman hung onto Brown for the time being, also re-signing Dallas Goedert to a one-year deal after postponing the tight end’s void date a second time.
"So, what does it all mean? In the grand scheme of Philly’s void-year-riddled cap puzzle, trading Brown after June 1 makes more financial sense. Interest remains in the 28-year-old, and I expect trade buzz to likely heat up in earnest again closer to June."
Speaking of Howie Roseman in Bayless’ prediction adds another layer. Roseman has built a reputation as one of the best execs in football and will always do what he thinks is right to make this team better. If that doesn’t include Brown, he could be gone.