Eagles' Howie Roseman updates status of A.J. Brown trade rumors after drafting Makai Lemon

On Thursday night, the Philadelphia Eagles traded the No. 23 pick and two fourth-round selections (Nos. 114 and 137) in the 2026 NFL Draft to the rival Dallas Cowboys in return for the draft's 20th choice and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

The Eagles then spent pick No. 20 to grab USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Lemon could prove to be a replacement for Philadelphia wideout A.J. Brown, who has been the subject of constant trade rumors throughout the offseason. Following the Lemon pick, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman sang a familiar tune regarding Brown's current status with the organization. 

Eagles haven't finalized any A.J. Brown trade...yet

"Again, A.J. is a member of the Eagles. We don't have any trades that have been made or that are done," Roseman said, per Tim McManus of ESPN. "And I think for us, we're taking this one day at a time. We're going to look to improve the team tomorrow, and we'll continue to address anything that we have to with our roster, not only through this draft weekend, but we'll continue to look for ways to improve the team throughout the offseason and as we get into training camp."

Brown isn't expected to be with the Eagles when training camp practices get underway this summer, as a report from earlier this week confirmed that he "likely" will be traded to the New England Patriots via a transaction that won't become official until after June 1 because of Philadelphia's salary-cap situation.

Brown had New England's Mike Vrabel as a head coach when the two were employed by the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through the 2021 season. It's unclear if uncertainty regarding Vrabel's future could impact a potential trade involving Brown.

What the Eagles like about Makai Lemon

"His ability to separate, insane ability to catch the ball in contested situations. I love his toughness," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said about Lemon. "Insanely competitive, so there's a lot to like. Really excited that he's added to our roster."

Fair or not, Eagles fans will inevitably view Lemon as a replacement for a receiver who tallied 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Lemon seems eager to fill Brown's shoes later this year. 

"I feel like everything happened for a reason," Lemon said about becoming an Eagle. "They traded up, so it means a lot that they really wanted me. I'm all-in, and they're going to get everything that I've got."