Philadelphia Eagles Preparing for Future Without A.J. Brown?

Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown will see a big jump in his salary-cap charge next year and in 2026, so Philly might prepare for an eventual departure by taking a receiver in the first or second round of the NFL Draft.

Oct 22, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Brown’s contract presents a problem for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Not so much this year, but over the next two seasons the salary-cap charges go to $26.5 million next year to $41.5M in 2026. That is simply not sustainable.

Not when quarterback Jalen Hurts’ cap hit jumps to $21.7 next year.

Not when receiver DeVonta Smith’s fifth-year option will escalate to around $16 million on the cap if an extension doesn’t come before next season. The Eagles have until May 2 to pick up the option on Smith’s rookie deal for a fifth year, something they will certainly do.

Also, next year, right tackle Lane Johnson is scheduled to count $17.1M on the cap.

That’s about a $82M charge on the cap for just four players. Granted, the NFL cap is expected to go up to about $275-280M next year, but, if things remain the same for these four players, they will consume about 30 percent of the cap.

Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

That’s why it was easy to believe that always-forward-thinking general manager Howie Roseman might part ways with Brown in a trade during the offseason. Brown put the brakes on any of it when he called into the local sports talk radio station, 94WIP, which also has the rights to broadcast every Eagles football game, to admonish the hosts for starting such rumors.

Since then, there has been no talk about trading Brown, and it would certainly come as a surprise if it were to happen, say, when the first round of the draft begins on April 25.

There are a few receiver-needy teams such as the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots to name wo. Throw the Kansas City Chiefs in there, too, with the status of Rashee Rice.

It was just two drafts ago that Brown was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in a deal that was so lopsided in Philly’s favor that Titans GM Jon Robinson got the axe for agreeing to it.

Roseman wouldn’t get canned if he were to trade Brown, but it would certainly come as a shock.

What wouldn’t come as a surprise would be the Eagles drafting a receiver in the first round. If not there, then perhaps with one of their two picks in the second round, either at No. 50 or 53.

While most predict an offensive lineman or a cornerback at No. 22 overall, a receiver that could be used in various would be able to help in some form right away, even with Brown and Smith.

The Eagles signed a pair of receivers in the offseason, inking DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell to one-year deals. Nothing is owed to them after this year and very little would be paid to them if they didn’t make the final roster at the end of summer.

“When you have a wide receiver group, you don’t want the same guy,” said head coach Nick Sirianni last month at the NFC coaches breakfast during the annual owners meetings. “You want different pieces that you’re looking to fill. DeVante gives us another guy that can win on the outside. He’s proven that he’s a really good player on the outside that’s had a lot of production, that can win 1-on-1 on the outside.

“That’s really important to have not only A.J. and DeVonta Smith that can win on the outside. But what if they come out for a play? You get another guy in there that can consistently win against man-to-man coverage. Parris brings an element of speed. Parris is really fast.”

The Eagles have taken only one pass-catcher in the last three drafts, and that was Smith at No. 10 overall after trading up to get him. They took Jalen Reagor in the first round the year before Smith but we al know how that turned out.

Taking another one may make more sense in the second round this year since this is a receiver-rich draft class, with players such as Texas’ Xavier Worthy, Florida’s Ricky Pearsall, Florida State’s Keon Coleman, and Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley among those who could be sitting there when the Eagles hit the clock on Day 2 of the draft.