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Eagles' WR trade adds fuel to A.J. Brown speculation
Wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Eagles' trade for WR with a 'ton of potential' only adds more fuel to A.J. Brown rumors

The Philadelphia Eagles continued to retool their wide receiver room on Friday by trading two draft picks (a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick) to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for Dontayvion Wicks. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Eagles are also giving Wicks a one-year, $12 million extension after the trade.

Eagles latest WR furthers A.J. Brown trade speculation

The addition of Wicks is the Eagles' third wide receiver move in the past few weeks, joining the additions of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and Elijah Moore. That is a lot of moves for a team that already has A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the roster. 

Having depth is important and necessary, but these moves, coming at a time when Brown's name has been mentioned in trade speculation, are enough to sound some alarm bells when it comes to his future with the team. 

It is also important to keep in mind that none of these players is quite on Brown's level. While Wick is a good young player with a "ton of potential" — as insider Albert Breer points out — he has never caught more than 39 passes or gained more than 581 yards in a single season. Wicks, (Hollywood) Brown and Moore can all be solid depth pieces, but they are not going to adequately replace one of the top playmakers in the NFL, which is what (A.J.) Brown can be when he is going at his best. 

If a Brown trade does happen, it will likely come after June 1 to help spread out the salary-cap hit the Eagles would have to take. And even then, there is no guarantee it happens. But the more wide receivers they keep adding to the roster, the more possible it seems. 

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on X @AGretz

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