For weeks this offseason, wide receiver A.J. Brown seemed to be all but gone with the Philadelphia Eagles. It appeared to be just a matter of the team waiting until June 1 to trade him because of NFL salary cap ramifications.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Over the past week, things have appeared much brighter in the Brown-Eagles relationship.
Brown added to that brightness Sunday at a youth camp he held in Allentown. After the camp, the wideout shared with the Eastern Pennsylvania participants how much he cared for them.
“I love you all,” the receiver told them, via The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner. “I don’t care what you hear out there; I love you all.
“You understand?”
Brown has spent the past four seasons with the Eagles. He made second-team All-Pro during each of his first three campaigns in Philadelphia. Brown was also a Pro Bowler in 2022 and 2023.
With that success, the receiver became one of the most popular players with the Eagles.
In 2025, though, Brown experienced a drop in production. He had 78 catches, 1,003 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
A.J. Brown’s Relationship With Eagles ‘Cordial’: Report
The 2025 campaign was honestly a struggle for the entire Eagles offense. The narrative around Philadelphia’s WR1, though, was Brown wasn’t handling the struggles very well.
Brown didn’t have as many great chances at plays down the field last season. His statistics show that, as he averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per reception.
For the first time since joining the Eagles, Brown didn’t make the Pro Bowl or All-Pro team last season.
Most pundits expected the drama to come to an end with an offseason trade this spring. That could still happen. But it’s not a guarantee either.
“A team source stressed to me there’s nothing binding right now,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Sunday on a potential Brown trade to the New England Patriots. “They could’ve drafted a receiver a week and a half ago if they really wanted to.
“So, they still have to create a deal and come up with compensation both parties are satisfactory to.”
Fowler added that the relationship between the Eagles and Brown is “cordial.”
“He’s been in the building at some point this offseason, but he’s not expected to be part of offseason workouts. The full expectation is he wants to be traded and New England is one of his preferred destinations,” said Fowler, via Bleacher Report’s Joseph Zucker.
“We’ll see if another team gets involved over the next month, but it still seems like all systems are go for a trade to happen at some point.”
Because the Eagles and Brown appear to be on good terms, a trade doesn’t have to occur.
Why the Delay on a Potential Brown Trade?
There are signs Brown could return for the Eagles. But fans will have a much better idea of Philadelphia’s intentions with the wideout after June 1.
Beginning that date, the Eagles can trade Brown with only a $16.35 million cap hit. Before June 1, Philadelphia would have to accept a $43.45 million cap hit if the team dealt the wideout.
For that reason, it makes little sense for the Eagles to rush a Brown trade.
A month from now, Brown could have a new home. If so, the delay was likely simply salary cap related.
Brown’s love for Eagles fans, though, will give his supporters in Philadelphia hope he can still be back with the Eagles next season.
A.J. Brown Delivers Strong Message to Eagles Fans