Following a trade deadline, which included just one major sell-off, the Philadelphia Eagles have started cutting ties with multiple veterans.
It started with the veteran wide receiver Hollywood Brown on Thursday night. In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, Brown was recognized as a possible trade candidate.
The deadline set in, and the wide receiver wasn’t moved. Still, both sides wanted to mutually part ways. The Hollywood Brown experience in Philadelphia didn’t go the way anybody had hoped.
Just last season, Brown appeared in 16 games with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he caught 49 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns. In four games with the Eagles, Brown was targeted eight times. He caught five passes for 63 yards and didn’t score.
On a team that missed its top two receivers for multiple weeks, Brown wasn’t getting utilized much. The veteran wide receiver more than likely grew frustrated. Seeing him move on was far from a surprise for anybody.
The veteran lineman Fred Johnson was a different story. On Friday, the Eagles parted ways with Johnson, who was not initially discussed as a trade candidate. With many fans questioning the move, Eagles insider Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice attempted to make sense of the move.
Why Did The Eagles Cut Ties With Fred Johnson?
“My guess is that the Eagles’ front office is cutting some veteran players who they have no use for long-term (who also obviously had no trade value) and are planning on shopping for younger developmental players on other teams’ practice squads,” Kempski wrote on X.
It was clear from the jump that Hollywood Brown could be on borrowed time with the Eagles, but Johnson was a little more surprising.
The 29-year-old veteran just wrapped up a second stint with the Eagles. He was a part of the 2024 Super Bowl squad. While it was clear the Eagles didn’t favor him as the go-to backup after Lane Johnson retired, Johnson still offers veteran experience as a backup.
But to Kempski’s point, the second half of the season will be a chance for the Eagles to get a look at some younger prospects. It’s rare for the Eagles to get a chance to experiment with young talent throughout the season. Since they sit with a 2-7 record at the bye week, the Eagles are retooling for next season. Clearly, Johnson isn’t in the picture.
