Remembering The AJ Brown Trade As Draft Nears

One year ago, former general manager Jon Robinson abruptly traded AJ Brown away during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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NASHVILLE - One year ago, on day one of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans and then general manager Jon Robinson stunned Nashville and the NFL world when it was announced that AJ Brown had been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.

As part of a blockbuster package for Brown, the Titans received Philadelphia's first-round pick, No,18 overall, and their third-round pick, No.101 overall. 

Brown, a  second-round pick of the Titans, was one of the top young pass catchers in the NFL, totaling 2,995 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns since entering the league in 2019. Before his trade, he had decided to hold out of voluntary workouts in hopes of signing a new long-term contract with the Titans in a rapidly escalating receiver market.

However, rumors had begun saying Brown was unhappy with the situation, something Brown himself acknowledged on social media. 

While much has been speculated about each side's role, we know Robinson would be fired just over seven months after the Brown trade. Of course, speculation is that this move was the beginning of the end for Robinson in Nashville.   

As we all know, Brown would go on to have an outstanding season for the Eagles, as he collected 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 scores and blistered the Titans with eight receptions for 199 yards, and two of those scores when the two met in Philadelphia on Dec.4th, just two days before Robinson's firing.    

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Fast forward almost one year, as the Titans, with new general manager Ran Carthon, prepare for their first draft together, there have been multiple rumors about the potential for the Titans to pull off another trade, this time for a top but aging veteran. 

While it's doubtful that we will see another draft night deal that will shock us like Brown's departure, there is a slight possibility that history could repeat itself with a draft night Titans trade. 

However, should such a trade occur, this time it wouldn't come with as much surprise as last year's deal carried.  

Granted, fans would not be happy if either Derrick Henry or Kevin Byard were traded, but at least there has been speculation, though most of the Henry stuff has since fallen by the wayside. Still, should something happen, it wouldn't be as much of a surprise as trading away an up-and-coming talent like Brown, who was still playing under his rookie contract.   

Again, I don't see a trade happening, and I'm not predicting one, but I'm also not going to say it can't or won't happen again this year. 

 As we learned last year, prepare for anything because anything can happen on draft day. 

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