PHILADELPHIA, P.A. - Things haven't worked out the way Hollywood Brown expected when he signed a one-year deal with $5 million in guaranteed money from the Eagles back in the spring.
During the team's disappointing 2-4 start, the 29-year-old veteran has been buried on the depth chart behind starters DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, as well as first-round pick Makai Lemon and second-year upstart Darius Cooper.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Tuesday, Nov. 10 , Brown has been a popular name on the rumor circuit among the league's national "insiders" as a potential trade candidate. It makes sense: Smith and Wicks are entrenched as the foundation of the Eagles' wide receiver room, the organization is clearly invested in Lemon, and Cooper appears to have played his way out of the undrafted label and into the team's plans.
Brown, however, is expected to finally get a meaningful opportunity against the Cowboys on Monday night , with Smith (hamstring) and Wicks (ankle) ruled out due to injury. The Eagles will lean on Lemon, Cooper, Brown, and Elijah Moore in an offense that has used 11 personnel the majority of the time, meaning all four should see significant snaps in prime time.
With the injuries plaguing the Eagles' WR room, Hollywood Brown might finally get his chance to prove himself on Monday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Speaking at his locker on Friday, Brown-who has played in just one game and logged only 17 offensive snaps-admitted he expected a larger role but has remained a true professional, refusing to dwell on the lack of playing time.
"Yeah, I did [expect a larger role]," Brown said. "But I do understand. Stuff happens. I mean, you can't take nothing personal in this business, so you kind of just got to go about your process and when that time happens, whatever happens, you just got to be ready for it."
Some of that limited opportunity to date stemmed from an ankle injury Brown suffered in practice ahead of the Eagles' Week 3 loss to the Rams.
A 2019 first-round pick by the Ravens out of Oklahoma, Brown acknowledged he wouldn't have always handled the situation so well.
Definitely just being older and being in the league for a minute. I wouldn't have handled it as well as a younger guy, but now just knowing I'm blessed to be here. I can't be mad about a situation because maybe that's not what God called for me.
Over his first seven NFL seasons, the speedy wideout was once a major part of the offense in Baltimore, peaking as a 90-catch, 1,000-yard receiver in 2021. Overall, Brown has 371 receptions for 4,322 yards and 33 touchdowns-the kind of experience that seemed potentially valuable for a team that traded A.J. Brown in the offseason.
Yet Brown has yet to catch a pass in Philadelphia, though he did have two rushes for 12 yards against the Titans in Week 2 when offensive coordinator Sean Mannion tried to manufacture touches for him.
With the trade deadline nearing, Brown was asked about his future .
"I'm here right now just trying to play," Brown said. "I mean, of course, you want to be somewhere where you play, but ultimately, at the end of the day, it's not my plan. So, I might want to play, I might contribute, but if that's not the plan for me, you know, I can't dwell on it too much. You'll be unhappy, and you're taking that back home. I can't take that back home to the wife and kids. I've got to try to stay as positive as I can."
The frustration is real, however.
Honestly, I don't have an answer. I don't know, but what I can do is just try to be ready and go from there. I feel like I'm putting good stuff on tape [during practice]. But I could be playing and still not getting the ball, or I could be playing and getting the ball and we're losing. So I try not to make it all about me and just try to roll with the punches.
That's not always easy.
"Some days better than others," Brown admitted. "But like I said, it's a good group here from my teammates. If I'm frustrated, I can go talk to the coach. Everybody hears me out. So it's not really a bad thing. It's kind of like, we're all dealing with something, and we're dealing with something as a team. So I don't want to add that extra stress."
Eagles on SI asked head coach Nick Sirianni on Saturday how Brown had handled things behind the scenes.
"(Hollywood) is a great pro, comes to work every day, just working to get better and paying attention in meetings," Sirianni said. "He made a catch at practice yesterday. I told him it was one of the best catches I've seen in routes on air, the way he adjusted to the ball. He's highly talented and will bring some great speed to our team. But I've just seen the consistency from him of being the same guy every single day, regardless of the circumstances. I'm looking forward to him continuing to develop and add to this football team."
Eagles HC Nick Sirianni still believes in Hollywood Brown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While Brown may not be in the Eagles' long-term plans-given the investments in others-a strong performance against the Cowboys could still earn him a meaningful opportunity elsewhere before the trade deadline.
Contending teams looking for a proven, speedy veteran receiver to bolster their offense could view Monday night's game as a final showcase, potentially turning Brown's limited role in Philadelphia into a late-season chance to contribute and chase a ring with a new club.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/eagles/onsi as Hollywood Brown's Eagles Future Could Be Clear After Week 7 MNF vs. Cowboys .
