The San Francisco 49ers have been active this offseason, as they have made an effort to reinforce their roster with depth across the board. However, the team has also made some flashy moves to bring some star power to town, with perhaps their most noteworthy addition seeing them land former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans will lead a wide receiver room that also features Ricky Pearsall and another free agent signing, Christian Kirk. However, with Jauan Jennings departing for the Minnesota Vikings and Brandon Aiyuk seemingly set to get released in the near future, the Niners have lost some serious talent at this spot. With that in mind, NFL insider Jason La Canfora recently floated San Francisco as a potential landing spot for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown.
49ers Linked to A.J. Brown Trade
All offseason long, Brown’s name has popped up in trade rumors after he endured a tension-filled 2025 campaign with the Eagles. While he still put up strong numbers (78 REC, 1,003 YDS, 7 TD), Brown wasn’t shy in voicing his frustration with his inconsistent role in the team’s offense throughout the year, leading to many folks believing that the two sides would part ways this offseason.
For salary cap purposes, it seems unlikely that Philadelphia is going to trade Brown until June 1. All signs point to the Eagles unloading Brown, with the New England Patriots being viewed as his most likely landing spot. And yet, until a deal is finalized, another team could swoop in and steal Brown from right underneath the Patriots’ nose.
San Fran has its own slew of salary cap problems, and after signing Evans and Kirk, it may not seem like the team has much of a need for Brown. Still, top-tier pass catchers are tough to come by, and with injuries having decimated the 49ers over the past two years, La Canfora believes that the Niners could make a push for Brown next month.
“The 49ers, who at some point will part with awol receiver Brandon Aiyuk, have a very high payroll as it stands and their cap space has been an issue, but even with Mike Evans there one could make a case for Brown, especially with some of the recent injury with some of their top pass catchers,” La Canfora wrote for SportsBoom.
Should the 49ers Trade for A.J. Brown?
GettyA.J. Brown with the Philadelphia Eagles
At his best, Brown is one of the most dominant wide receivers in the NFL. Yes, he’s had issues when it comes to expressing his frustration with not getting the football enough, but that was bound to happen in the Eagles’ run-heavy offense. A player of Brown’s caliber realistically should not be making it through a full game with six or fewer targets, which happened in four of the 15 games he played in last season.
Brown is a player that every team in the league would like to have at their disposal. Given the Niners’ current situation, though, they just don’t have a pressing need for Brown, especially since they have already invested so much at this spot over the offseason. So, unless something changes over the next couple of weeks, it’s looking increasingly likely that Brown will find his way to New England.
49ers Emerge as Unexpected Landing Spot in A.J. Brown Trade Sweepstakes