Eagles GM Howie Roseman Addresses A.J. Brown Trade Talk

“I understand that there’s interest in the A.J. Brown story,” Roseman said (via ESPN’s Tim McManus). “I, unfortunately, don’t have a home under a rock. But my answer to any question on A.J. Brown is A.J. Brown is a member of the Eagles. From my perspective, anything you ask me about A.J. Brown, I’m going to go right back to that answer.”

Roseman has previously offered stronger statements on the subject during the lead-up to free agency. The Eagles’ reported preference was to have a Brown resolution in place by the start of the new league year, but deep into March his status is still unclear. No trade request has been issued by the three-time Pro Bowler, but talk of a move ending his Eagles tenure has been long-running and has not been quieted through the offseason. The Patriots in particular loom as landing spot many have pointed to for Brown.

Given the cap implications of working out a trade prior to June 1, an expectation has emerged that one will only take place after that date. Plenty of things can and will change from a roster-building perspective in the meantime, thanks in large part to next month’s draft. It was nevertheless recently deemed “inevitable” a trade will eventually be worked out in Brown’s case. The 28-year-old has topped 1,000 yards in each of his four Philadelphia campaigns, making him an attractive option for any number of suitors. Taking on the remainder of Brown’s contract (which runs through 2029) late in the offseason will be a challenge in most cases, though.

None of the teams on Brown’s wish list have been heavily linked to an acquisition so far. That could change, of course, but a key factor with respect to any suitor will be the trade price set by Roseman. A first-round pick and more has been seen as a requirement for the Eagles to consider moving on in this case; no offers at that level are known to have been submitted.

Philadelphia has added Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore to the WR depth chart in free agency. Moore and A.J. Brown were teammates for one year at Ole Miss, although Roseman said factors such as familiarity were not taken into consideration when the team made its offseason moves. How the team’s setup at the position shakes out will remain a storyline to monitor as the spring unfolds.