Why Eagles should keep AJ Brown for the 2026 season and not trade him

AJ Brown and Philadelphia Eagles appear to be on borrowed time.

The Eagles have been open to trade discussions regarding their star wide receiver, but haven't come to a deal that would ship Brown out of Philadelphia. Brown has been the subject of trade rumors since last October, and hasn't been dealt to this point.

The star wide receiver has been frustrated with his role in the Eagles offense, and the passing game in general. This wasn't just with Kevin Patullo, as Brown has been frustrated with several offensive coordinators he's played under in Philadelphia in the past.

Whether a new offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion will change Brown's perspective of the Eagles is unknown, as the wide receiver has been noticeably silent this offseason. This is a good thing for Brown and the Eagles, but bad for anyone that wants to know about his future.

The Eagles have said the right things over the past few months, especially at the owners' meetings.

"My answer to any question on A.J. Brown is, 'A.J. Brown is a member of the Eagles," said Eagles general manager Howie Roseman last week (via NFL.com). "From my perspective, anything you ask me about A.J. Brown, I'll go right back to that answer.

"But I understand the interest. I mean, I put on TV. And I see that there's interest. But my answer is, 'A.J. Brown is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.'"

Brown is a member of the Eagles -- for now. The Eagles are still looking for a trade partner, as the post-June 1 designation is the deadline that may finally seal a deal. A post-June 1 trade spreads the dead money over the next two years, so there's an opportunity to move on from the 29-year-old Brown if the Eagles choose.

What if the Eagles do decide to trade Brown, but can't find a deal that benefits them for this season? What if they just hold onto him for this season and revisit the trade discussion after 2026? There will be more suitors and an easier contract to trade.

Makes sense for the Eagles to keep Brown for 2026 right? There are a few incentives to keep Brown on the roster -- for this season.

The championship window

The Eagles are still in a championship window, having been to the Super Bowl twice in the past four years (winning one) and hoisting the NFC East crown in three of the past four years. Brown has been on the Eagles for each of those seasons.

No coincidence the Eagles became an NFC powerhouse with Brown on the roster. Brown has been the No. 1 receiver that has propelled the Eagles to a top-5 offense during this stretch. The Eagles are fifth in offensive points per game (24.8) and sixth in yards per game (355.5) since Brown arrived in 2022, while also having the fourth best red zone offense (63.2%) during this stretch.

The Eagles are 50-18 in the Brown era, an astonishing .735 win percentage. They've made the playoffs all four years with Brown and won two conference championships. Think they can replicate that success without Brown?

It will be difficult. Having Brown increases that championship window for another year.

Brown is one of the best WRs in the NFL

Even after a down season, Brown still put up 1,003 yards and 7 TDs in 15 games. The 5.2 receptions per game were similar to 2024, but the receiving yards per game dipped to 66.9 from 83.0. This is more of an indicator of the Eagles' passing game more than Brown.

Let's take a look at the four-year sample. Brown is 11th in the NFL in receptions (339), fifth in receiving yards (1,646), 11th in yards per catch (14.8), 13th in yards after the catch (1,646), and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (32).

Brown is the only player in Eagles franchise history with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He's the only player with four 1,000-yard seasons in Eagles history and has made an All-Pro team in three of those four seasons.

Bottom line -- Brown is elite. Hard for the Eagles -- or any franchise -- to part ways with a receiver of that production.

Why not run it back with Brown for one more year?

Jalen Hurts' production with Brown

For all the conversation surrounding Brown's relationship with Hurts, the two have been incredibly productive in their four years together.

Hurts has targeted Brown 486 times in their four years together, the most of any pass catcher on the Eagles. He's completed 65.4% of his passes when targeting Brown, throwing 29 TD to 10 INT and an 108.2 passer rating. Those are pretty productive numbers for two players that may not be on the same page at times.

Hurts does have a higher passer rating when targeting DeVonta Smith in this four-year stretch, but not by much (108.8). The Eagles quarterback has thrown 22 TD to 8 INT when targeting Smith, with a completion rate of 71.1%.

Brown is the big play wideout in the Eagles offense, the one who can stretch the field and create havoc downfield. Hurts has thrown 13 TD passes to Brown of 25+ air yards, the most in the NFL over that stretch.

The Eagles will lack a deep ball presence if they part ways with Brown, which is the biggest stretch of Hurts' game. Why take that away if they don't have to?