Trade winds have swirled around Brown all offseason, a byproduct of a disappointing Eagles campaign in which the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver publicly embraced his role multiple times.
So far, Brown hasn’t gone anywhere, meaning he’s now on track for a fifth season in Philly, where he’s amassed four straight 1,000-yard receiving campaigns despite occasional upsets.
A trade before June 1st would cost $43.4 million, which is a logical deterrent to such a thing happening in the early part of the offseason. However, the Eagles would only take on $16.4 in dead money if they move a wide receiver after June 1st, hence the continued confusion.
Sirianni and Roseman’s answers both focused on Brown’s current status, and the lack of comment on his future certainly leaves the window open for rumors to resurface once a trade becomes more viable.
Sirianni, speaking to the media for the first time, was asked multiple times about Brown.
Asked about building an offense with the possibility of not having an elite player like Brown in the future, Sirianni replied: “AJ is an Eagle. Nothing has changed since the last time we talked through everything. But you’re going through all the processes you go through every year.”
He also didn’t bite when asked about DeVonta Smith’s role in 2026.
“Both of these players – keep it up AJ – both of these players are tremendous players that have contributed to many wins over the past four years here,” Sirianni said. “DeVonta, AJ, I know I’ve said it a lot. It’s not like we have 1A, 1B. We have two 1s. There. Obviously, DeVonta has had great seasons since he got here. He’s competitive. A great football player. We love everything about him.”
Regardless of whether Brown eventually stays or leaves, the Eagles have taken on the wide receiver room this offseason. They reached one-year deals with Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore, who are two career underdogs at their starting first-round prices but players Sirianni is excited to work with.
“It’s been fun watching these guys through their careers, seeing them come out in the draft not too long ago,” Sirianni said. “Always been a fan of these guys and their game and their style of play. Just adding depth. This game, there’s so many ups and downs throughout the year, there’s bumps and bruises along the way, so you’re always looking at the depth at the position and the competition at each position.”
For now, they’ll serve as valuable depth behind AJ Brown, who has a lot of league-wide interest.