How the Eagles created a win-win situation in Dontayvion Wicks trade with AJ Brown

The Philadelphia Eagles needed to add another receiver this offseason. They accomplished this when they acquired Dontayvion Wicks on Friday.

Philadelphia liked Wicks enough to trade two Day 3 picks for him and sign him to a one-year, $12.5 million extension. Wicks is clearly part of the Eagles immediate future at wide reciever, whether he's a WR2 or WR3 in Sean Mannion's offense.

There is also a hint on AJ Brown's future. Why would the Eagles trade two draft picks for another wide receiver and give him a $10+ million salary for 2027 while already paying AJ Brown $32 million per season and DeVonta Smith $25 million a season.

The answer is simple. They certainly aren't paying all three of these wideouts in 2027.

Smith is in excellent standing with the Eagles, and a leader in the locker room. The Eagles like Wicks' potential and want to see him in a larger role with an offense he's comfortable with.

So where does that leave Brown? Are the Eagles setting themselves up to move on from him after June 1 or will they hold on to Brown until they get the right price?

The answer is both, which significantly benefits the organization.

They can hold onto Brown

Pretty simple right? The Eagles don't actually have to trade Brown after June 1 (they will at some point).

General manager Howie Roseman can wait the summer out for the right offer to come to him, and find the right suitor for Brown. Perhaps the New England Patriots up their offer or the Los Angeles Rams reenter the mix. Maybe another AFC team enters the fray and outbids previous trade candidates.

What if the Eagles don't trade Brown? They can just keep him around and have a wide receiver group of Brown, Smith, Wicks, and Hollywood Brown. Not a bad quartet to have in 2026 with Wicks still on his rookie deal, Hollywood Brown on a one-year contract, and AJ Brown and Smith still making their 2026 salaries.

This is the least likely scanerio, but it's one the Eagles can ponder if Brown and the organization can mend fences for one more year. Then the Eagles can move on after 2026, extending the borrowed time they have with Brown.

They have more depth at WR

With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, the Eagles know they will have Smith, Wicks, and Hollywood Brown in the fold for 2026. They also have Elijah Moore on a one-year deal, along with Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson battling for roster spots.

Trading for Wicks improved the depth of this team, a move the Eagles sorely needed. They could have went into the draft needing to spend a high pick at wide receiver, which isn't a necessity anymore -- but a luxury.

The Eagles can still use a premium pick on a wide receiver and solidify the core of Smith, Wicks, and a high draft pick for at least the next two years. They could also take a flyer on a receiver in the third round or later and add even more depth to a group that is clearly anchored by Smith.

The chess pieces are in favor for the Eagles, until they find the right compensation for Brown.

Smith is the WR1

While Brown's future remains in limbo, this wide reciever group indicates a lot of targets are going to Smith in 2026. The Eagles drafted Smith to be a WR1 and he's been waiting for the opportunity to be the foal point of the offense.

That time is coming in 2026, as Smith has mastered the art of route running and will be set up to catch 100+ passes a season. The Eagles will use Smith on every branch of the route tree they can, while Wicks can run underneath and Brown can stretch the field.

Imagine adding a playmaking rookie into the fold.

The exciting part of the Eagles offense will be how Smith performs as a WR1. He was drafted 10th overall five years ago for a reason.