What’s Keeping AJ Brown With Eagles Right Now

The chatter has been very loud around the Philadelphia Eagles and three-time Pro Bowler AJ Brown.

While there were loud rumors specifically around the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams this past weekend, no deal got done and it doesn't sound like anything is coming in the near future as well.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter was asked about Brown's future. He noted that he believes that Brown would "prefer" a trade out of Philadelphia, but that the math involved in trade talks so far has been the complicating factor and the Eagles are not in the market to "just give him away."

Don't expect a move in the near future

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrates first down against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"I think a lot had to do with the math that was involved," Schefter said on Tuesday. "If you follow the money, which often is the case, you can usually get a read of where things are. If the Eagles were to have traded AJ Brown and still were to trade AJ Brown before June 1, Philadelphia would take on a dead cap charge north of $40 million for this upcoming season. If they waited until after June 1, the deadline money incurred would drop below $20 million for the upcoming season as it would be split between this and next year.

"I still would lean towards an AJ Brown trade, because I think that’s what he would prefer, but the Eagles are not gonna be in the market to just give him away and there has to be a team out there that’s willing to make it happen and right now that has not been the case.”

If the Eagles were to trade A.J. Brown prior to June 1st, Philadelphia would take on a dead cap charge north of $40 million in 2026. By waiting until after June 1st, the dead money incurred would drop below $20 million for 2026.

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🎧 https://t.co/TYjset0BVC pic.twitter.com/cRl0JR9A50
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2026

One thing that is important to note is that when Brown spoke publicly during Super Bowl Week, he had a different tune than the idea of wanting an exit.

"When I got to Philly, Philly welcomed me with open arms," Brown said. "That's home, man. I love them. I love the support, the love, the accountability, I love everything else that they do. Philly is Philly. You have to be there to understand."

He also spoke about how he was excited about the new offensive coming in under Sean Mannion.

Now, comments made during Super Bowl Week don't necessarily tell the whole story. For example, the Eagles' trade rumors around Brown have shifted a million times since then. The biggest takeaway from Schefter's comments is that it doesn't sound like anything is coming in the near future whatsoever.