Did Broncos consider trade for A.J. Brown before landing Jaylen Waddle?

The Denver Broncos are seemingly all-in on trying to win next season, as it was revealed on Tuesday that they had agreed to acquire Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a 2026 fourth-round draft pick in return for a 2026 first-round selection, a third-rounder and a fourth-rounder.   

Long before word of that transaction went public, the Broncos were among the many teams linked with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown this offseason. During a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter addressed whether the Broncos pivoted from Brown to Waddle. 

Did Broncos really want A.J. Brown instead of Jaylen Waddle?

"Denver, I never heard, was involved in any talks with A.J. Brown at all," Schefter explained. "I think they've been talking to the Dolphins here, like I said, for a while, but over the last 10 days, it's amped up."

Since February, numerous reports have said that interested teams learned that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wants at least a first-round draft pick and a second-round choice in return for Brown. Brown signed a three-year, $96M extension with $84M in guaranteed money in the spring of 2024, and he hasn't yet gone public with a trade request this offseason after he repeatedly made it known this past fall he was frustrated with his role in the Eagles' offense. 

The "problem" with the Eagles waiting until after June 1 to trade A.J. Brown

Much has been said about whether or not Roseman has to wait until June 1 to trade Brown for reasons related to the salary cap. While Schefter acknowledged that a Brown trade is "more likely to happen" after June 1, he also shared why Roseman may need to pull the trigger on a deal before the NFL Draft gets underway on April 23. 

"There are going to be teams that use up their cap space," Schefter added during the segment. "There are going to be teams that draft wide receivers in the first round. There are going to be teams that fill that need. All of a sudden, those teams that have a need [now] might not have as great a need."

Tuesday's developments likely bolstered Roseman's resolve regarding his asking price for Brown. It remains to be seen if Brown will do anything to try to force his way out of Philadelphia before the opening night of the upcoming draft arrives.