A.J. Brown’s 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles was solid on paper with 78 catches, 1,003 yards, and seven touchdowns across 15 games. But he was not happy with the team's plan around him, and this frustration got worse by how inconsistently he was used on the field.
After several quiet games, the tension peaked during a 23–19 wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, where Brown managed only three catches. By then, his relationship with Jalen Hurts had reportedly hit a breaking point, with the two stars barely speaking.
A split seemed unavoidable by the offseason. While trade rumors swirled all winter, the Los Angeles Rams came remarkably close to a deal in March.
For a while, it looked like the Rams were the certain destination until the talks suddenly collapsed without explanation. Now, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has provided a look at the specific picks the Rams offered and why the deal fell through.
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He reported, "Picks in future years were the compensation that was discussed when the Eagles and Rams had extensive trade conversations regarding Brown, which did not materialize into a deal."
During extensive talks, the Eagles made it clear they weren’t interested in loading up on 2026 picks. Instead, they wanted capital in 2027 and 2028, believing those draft classes would be much stronger.
The Rams weren’t willing to give up that much long-term value for a 28-year-old receiver on a massive extension. Beyond the picks, Mike Florio reported the Rams were "scared off" after preliminary medical research into Brown's knee, deciding the risk was too high for a player on a massive contract.
With the Rams out, the New England Patriots are looking like Brown's final destination now. Schefter reports the trade is "tracking to happen" on or after June 1.
Trading him after June 1 is the best financial move for Philadelphia. It will help them to split his massive $43.5 million dead cap hit over two seasons. Instead of being buried by the full amount this year, the 2026 charge drops to just $16.4 million, effectively saving the Eagles $27.1 million in immediate spending room.
This move would reunite Brown, who is currently playing on a three-year, $96 million extension, with head coach Mike Vrabel, his former coach from the Tennessee Titans. According to current reports, this trade is a matter of "when," not "if."
