All week, if I didn’t hear wallowing about the Eagles’ Offensive Coordinator search, I heard the debate raging about whether to trade AJ Brown. Eventually, the debate stopped and the resignation that the Eagles would likely trade him set in. The negativity had won. The winners are adamant and the losers are sad, AJ Brown has to go. There’s just one problem with that: IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!
Yes, AJ Brown alligator armed the Eagles out of the playoffs this year. Yes, AJ Brown was visibly upset throughout the season. And yes, AJ Brown made one of the least funny Geico commercials ever for reasons unknown. Under normal circumstances, an argument could be made to trade him. However, these are not normal circumstances.
I’ll get into the emotional defenses at the end, but the reason he is staying put is mainly salary cap based. Currently, he is slated to have a $23m cap figure in 2026. That’s a lot, but it is manageable for one of the best receivers in the league (which, at 28, he still is). Because of the contract extension he signed 2 years ago though, Brown has $43m in dead cap on his ledger that the Eagles, AND THE EAGLES ALONE, need to account for. That money is spread out over his remaining years with the team. However, if he is traded before June 1, that money escalates immediately to the top of the cap. If he is traded after June 1, and therefore after this year’s NFL Draft, the 2026 number drops to a more manageable $16m. Unfortunately, that means the remaining $27m would come due in 2027 when it would normally be $22m.
The Eagles have a tight salary cap this year, currently at around $20m in likely space (Michael Carter is not sticking around). Ditching Brown in time to get a draft pick this season would annihilate that $20m. Not only would we have no cap room, but no #1 WR either. Trading him in the summer would mean a few extra million in cap space, but no one to use it on. Yes, they could use their own picks on a new WR, but that would mean other needs do not get met (OT, TE, CB, S).
Let’s say they go the post-June 1 route. Having extra cap space this year sounds nice, but what about next year? Assuming Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter get extensions this season, that means their cap hits will only be bigger in 2027. Do you know who else is up for an extension after next season? Nolan Smith, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Moro Ojomo, Jalyx Hunt, DeVonta Smith, and likely Jalen Hurts. They all won’t be back, but Q and Coop are definitely getting top dollar. Do you really think Howie Roseman wants to take a $27m cap charge into 2027 that not only doesn’t include a WR but also clogs the lanes for everyone else? Not a chance!
This is a team with a Super Bowl window that is still wide open and letting air in. If the team wanted to let its #1 WR go, what do you think it would take for Howie to accept a trade that comes with the above financial penalty? A LOT!!! I’ve seen people talk about 2nd round picks and players. No way. If you want Howie to give you AJ Brown, you need to make it worth his while. We are talking a good 1st round pick at a minimum and more. Why so much? Well, the team getting him is going to be getting him on a cheap salary. His cap hit will only be around $7m in 2026. SEVEN MILLION FOR AJ BROWN! That’s crazy. Add in the fact that it will need to be 2027 picks and the lack of certainty that comes with that means the haul for him will need to be nuts. Who is giving that to us?1
So financially, it makes no sense. Can we agree on that? What about emotionally? All year we were ALL mad at the Eagles offense. You would think a player saying what we were all thinking would endear him to the masses. Nope. For some reason we are taking out our anger on the one guy who actually said what we were all thinking. The offense stunk because of the coordinator and system and we all knew it.
Let’s take it one step further. I want you to think about your job. Now think about your boss. Imagine your boss told you to do something that you knew wouldn’t work. Let’s say you actually did it just to prove a point, then spoke up with suggestions to make it work better next time. Not only does your boss ignore you, but you are chastised for speaking up and told to do it again. And again. And again. AND AGAIN! After several months of being told to waste your time and to fail, would you still be giving your best effort at work? I know he makes a lot of money, but the human side of this has to be somewhat relatable to everyone.2
So, before you go angrily running AJ Brown out of town or thinking his departure is a fate accompli, think about it. Would Howie be convinced by the same toxic narratives that always permeate the city about its football team or would he remain calm and prudent about the whole thing? I may be wrong, but it sure as hell seems like Brown is staying.
All salary figures courtesy of Spotrac.com and Overthecap.com
- Cross off anyone in the NFC for starters ↩︎
- I personally love when people claim that for millions of dollars they would do anything and be happy about it. Right. Like if you had millions of dollars and access to all the fame, power, sex, and other luxuries that go with it you would still be up for going to sleep early, eating flawlessly, and getting to the gym before everyone. Sure thing. ↩︎
Philly Front Office 
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