Eagles' Howie Roseman may not trade A.J. Brown under one condition

While Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman repeated earlier this week that wide receiver A.J. Brown "is an Eagle," Roseman once again declined to confirm that he won't trade Brown before the 2026 regular season gets underway. 

For his latest mailbag, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched upon how negotiations between Roseman and interested clubs regarding a Brown trade could play out over the next couple of months. 

Why Eagles may not trade A.J. Brown this offseason

"In the end, it’ll take some creativity," Breer explained. "I don’t see Roseman coming out of this looking like he lost the deal, because I do believe he’d rather not do a deal than complete a bad one."

Brown signed a three-year, $96M contract extension in the spring of 2024, and it seems unlikely he will be traded before June 1 for reasons related to the salary cap. Meanwhile, Roseman reportedly has asked for a first-round draft pick and a second-round choice in return for the 28-year-old who has a history of knee problems. That history may be one reason a team such as the New England Patriots hasn't yet matched Roseman's alleged asking price for Brown. 

Brown played under current Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel while with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through the 2021 season. New England has a need at the position but could spend a high-value pick on a receiver after the 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23. 

What Howie Roseman may accept for A.J. Brown

Breer seems to believe Roseman will have to be open to adjusting his demands to complete a Brown trade. 

"Maybe it would be a 2028 first-round pick," Breer added, "or a conditional 2027 second-rounder that could become a first-rounder if Brown hits playing time benchmarks." 

As has been the case throughout the spring, there's no indication the Eagles will trade Brown either before or during the draft. How teams previously linked with Brown spend their draft picks could determine whether or not Roseman will find himself saying that Brown "is an Eagle" this coming September.