Pros and Cons of Detroit Lions Trading for WR A.J. Brown

Should the Detroit Lions pursue a trade for wide receiver A.J. Brown?

The days of wide receiver A.J. Brown playing for the Tennessee Titans appear to be numbered.

Heading into the fourth year of his contract, the Ole Miss product was absent for the first day of his team’s organized team activities, as part of an effort to get a new deal.

With discourse about his future heating up, Brown removed the Titans from his Twitter bio, and has sent out some cryptic tweets regarding his future.

“I’m a diva and a bad teammate all of a sudden, lol, ok,” Brown tweeted Monday. “Do what you have to do then and so will I.”

Of course, the situation could change in the event that the two sides are able to come to terms on a new contract.

With the 2020 Pro Bowler apparently unhappy with his situation, could the Detroit Lions step up and make a move?

© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For starters, Brown would instantly become the top option in a Detroit wide receivers room that is growing in depth. Rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown was the star of the show in 2021, setting the team record for receiving yards by a rookie.

With the re-signing of Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond, along with the addition of free agent DJ Chark, the Lions are looking to be one piece away from having a high-end receiving corps.

Brown could certainly be the missing piece. At 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, he’s a massive target who is physical both before and after the catch. 

His pedigree holds up, too. He posted back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons in 2019-20, before an 869-yard performance last season.

The physical pass-catcher would be dynamite, but likely comes at a serious price. In the NFL, star players command a plethora of compensation. Two star receivers have been dealt in the offseason already in deals that have reshaped the market.

Former Green Bay Packers standout wideout Davante Adams was dealt to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for first-and-second-round picks in the 2022 draft. Meanwhile, Kansas City traded away game-breaking speedster Tyreek Hill, and received a total of five picks in return.

Though Brown isn’t as established as Adams or Hill, his impact on Tennessee’s offense could raise the asking price for teams interested in making a deal. 

This asking price would certainly include draft picks, which are becoming a currency as valuable as gold throughout the league.

Ultimately, any deal involving Brown to the Lions involves parting with picks. At this stage in the rebuild, Lions general manager Brad Holmes has to evaluate whether he’d be willing to add a player at the expense of the selections it would cost.

Additionally, any trade likely comes with an extension for Brown.  Sending away the picks means Detroit would be committed over the long term, which would subsequently mean a hefty new contract would be on the books.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell has said he wants to build the team’s core through the draft. So, it’s unlikely that the team is willing to spend the capital that it takes to land a player like Brown. 

With the loss of picks and extra cap space on a rebuilding team, my guess is Detroit does not make the move to acquire the talented receiver.