Eagles pursued Calvin Ridley, Allen Robinson, Christian Kirk before A.J. Brown trade

After using first-round picks on wide receivers in each of the previous two drafts, the Eagles were focused on veterans this year. Their pursuit eventually led to a monster A.J. Brown contract, but the team only shifted to the former Titans second-rounder after missing on a few other vets.

The Eagles moved down the line at the position this offseason. After initially pursuing Calvin Ridley in a trade that was close to completion before the Falcons wideout’s gambling suspension surfaced, the Eagles set their sights on a free agent pass catcher. We heard about the Eagles’ pursuits of Christian Kirk and Allen Robinson, but it appears the team was closer with one of these two.

Philadelphia and Robinson discussed a deal, but Adam Caplan of InsidetheBirds.com notes the Rams’ offer “blew him out of the water.” Robinson committed to the Rams, which proposed to him a three-year, $46.5M deal — a pact that includes $30.25M fully guaranteed. The Rams-Robinson connection came as somewhat of a surprise in March, with the team connected to re-signing Odell Beckham Jr. for several weeks prior to free agency. Beckham remains on the defending Super Bowl champions’ radar, even with Robinson's and Cooper Kupp‘s contracts on the payroll.

Philly was closer with Robinson than it was with Kirk, per Caplan, who adds the team moved out of the conversation for the former Cardinals wideout after learning what it would take to acquire him. The Jaguars came in with a four-year, $72M deal ($37M fully guaranteed) for the former second-round pick. This stalled the Eagles’ wideout pursuit for a stretch, though they did add ex-Nick Sirianni Colts charge Zach Pascal and took a flier on Olympic 110-meter hurdler Devon Allen.

It is interesting how the Eagles’ price changed for Brown, who followed Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill by signing a whopper extension (four years, $100M) after being traded. While Hill's and Adams’ average annual values surpass Brown’s, the ex-Titan’s $56M fully guaranteed tops all wideouts in that rather important category.

Brown will be expected to anchor a receiving corps that includes DeVonta Smith, whose rookie deal can run through 2025 via the fifth-year option. Had the Rams not come in with their Robinson offer, however, the former Jaguars and Bears pass catcher may well be leading Philly’s receiving corps. The Titans were not prepared to pay Brown what he sought, making an offer of less than $20M annually, so the team would have needed to move to other options with its contract-year wideout if Robinson had committed to the Eagles.