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A.J. Brown trade rumors: Why Dallas Goedert, June 1 loom large for Eagles
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- A.J. Brown trade rumors: Why Dallas Goedert, June 1 loom large for Eagles
To keep, or not to keep? That is the question the Philadelphia Eagles are facing as they assess the future of star wide receiver A.J. Brown during the 2026 NFL offseason.
Brown and the Eagles endured a rocky 2025 campaign. The veteran pass-catcher was often critical of the team's offensive approach as Kevin Patullo's offense struggled to find a rhythm.
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Brown also expressed discontent with the unit's performance and his production, which was inconsistent to start the season. That led trade rumors to swirl around him ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline.
The Eagles ultimately kept Brown, but the rumors have not dissipated. Plenty of teams have been tied to the 28-year-old, though it remains unclear whether Philadelphia will actually be willing to part with the perennial 1,000-yard receiver.
Here's the latest to know about Brown's future with the Eagles and why it may take longer than expected for a potential trade to emerge.
A.J. Brown trade rumors
The Eagles "continue to have conversations" about a potential Brown trade, according to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo .
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"My understanding – talking to sources informed with the talks between the Eagles and other teams – is they've had momentum toward deals in recent weeks and days and over this period of negotiating," Garafolo said in a March 13 appearance on NFL Network. "They haven't completed those trades. They haven't resulted in agreement on a trade for various reasons. They just haven't come together."
One of the reasons for that? Garafolo reported that "a big piece" of the uncertainty surrounding Brown is the pending future of veteran tight end Dallas Goedert .
Goedert has a void year attached to his contract that will result in a cap hit of more than $20 million if he isn't re-signed. Philadelphia has pushed the trigger date for that void year twice already, per Garafolo, with Monday, March 16 being the latest deadline for the team by which the team needs to either absorb that cap hit or agree to an extension with Goedert.
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"Brown and Goedert are sort of interconnected," Garafolo explained. "The Eagles can't pay Goedert if they're keeping Brown, and they can't take both cap hits. So, this is going to continue to go over the weekend."
Will that de facto negotiating deadline with Goedert result in Brown being traded if the Eagles can't agree to terms with the veteran tight end?
"I don't sense real momentum right now on this, but I'm sure Howie's going to continue to have conversations on A.J. Brown over the weekend," Garafolo said. "We'll see. He's still an Eagle right now. Will he be? At this point, I don't know."
Meanwhile, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports "no move is imminent" on the Brown front and, at this point, trade talks "would likely heat up closer to June 1" if the 28-year-old wide-out is to be traded.
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Trading Brown after June 1 would allow the Eagles to spread his $43.5 million dead-cap hit over two seasons instead of absorbing it all in 2026. Such a maneuver would save the Eagles just over $7 million in present-year cap space, per Spotrac.com .
By comparison, trading Brown before June 1 would result in the Eagles losing $20.1 million in cap space for the 2026 NFL season.
A.J. Brown landing spots
Below is an updated look at the potential landing spots for Brown as the Eagles weigh a decision about the three-time Pro Bowler's future.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have long been connected to Brown, as Mike Vrabel coached the star receiver across his first three seasons with the Tennessee Titans . New England signed Romeo Doubs to help replace Stefon Diggs but could still use a proven, No. 1 receiver to pair with Drake Maye .
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Denver Broncos
Denver is another team that could use veteran receiver help. Sean Payton's squad has Courtland Sutton but is otherwise young at the position, with second-year wide-out Troy Franklin and rookie Pat Bryant ranking second and third respectively in snaps at the position last season.
The Broncos and Eagles share a "mutual interest" in a Brown trade, NFL Media's Brian Baldinger told DNVR Sports' Zac Stevens .
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams already have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams but could stand to add a third quality receiver if they plan to go all-in for Matthew Stafford 's age-38 season.
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The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports the Rams discussed trading for Brown before swinging a deal for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie . Los Angeles general manager Les Snead has historically been aggressive in trading high-end draft capital for proven players, so he could take a similar approach if he views Brown as a big-time upgrade.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders made significant upgrades to their roster during free agency but could still use a No. 1 receiver to, presumably, pair with Fernando Mendoza long-term. Brown would give Mendoza a reliable target during his early NFL days while allowing free agent signee Jalen Nailor to operate as a speedy No. 2 wide-out.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Eagles trade AJ Brown? Latest trade rumors, landing spots
