It didn’t take long for the Philadelphia Eagles to develop a star-player controversy, with A.J. Brown’s social media post leading the way. But quarterback Jalen Hurts had a blunt response. And here are the four best trade destinations after the cryptic tweet pushed rumors into overdrive.
Never mind that the Eagles are 4-0 on the season. This is the NFL, where players claim winning is the most important thing. But it’s easy to see that money and prestige top winning almost every time.
Now, it should also be noted that Brown took responsibility for his tweet, according to a post on X by Eliot Shorr-Parks.
“AJ Brown speaks to the media for the first time since his tweet
** Started with a statement
** Says he let his frustrations get the best of him
** Says he is in constant communication with Sirianni and Patullo”
Eagles WR A.J. Brown would fit with Patriots
Drake Maye looks like an up-and-coming star at the quarterback position. He may even be a better fit for Brown in the long run. That’s the call, according to profootballnetwork.com.
“Adding a dynamic, big-body receiver like Brown would allow this offense to take this strong passing game to the next level and make them a real force for years to come, as Brown is under contract through 2029,” Josh Weil wrote.
The Patriots aren’t well-stocked at the receiver position. Stefon Diggs is their WR1, and he’s past his prime. But Diggs could operate well as a WR2.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said his receivers haven’t taken advantage of opportunities, according to Patriots.com via nesn.com.
“I think they need to keep doing what they’ve been doing,” Vrabel said. “There are opportunities, and we have to be able to find them. When things are there, make the plays you’re supposed to make.”
Buffalo is the obvious landing spot
Imagine how Josh Allen would fare this year if he had a big dog like Brown on the field. It would almost be unfair for defenses. Check that. It would be unfair. That would be one monster of a duo.
Read the room: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Dalton Kincaid, and James Cook. Yep. Bland. A.J. Brown? Spicy.
I mean, Josh Allen tried to make Palmer look like something he isn't earlier this summer, according to Sports Illustrated.
“His separation with his feet,” Allen said. “His body language. His catch radius is one of the best I’ve ever been around.”
Four games. Ten catches. One hundred thirty-eight yards. Yeah, not buying it.
But then again, Allen is prone to hyperbole. Here’s what he said about running back Ty Johnson last year, according to atozsports.com.
“I’ve been saying that all year long — Ty Johnson is the best third down back in football,” Allen said.
OK. Let’s let that sit there and marinate. We’ll put it on the smoker later.
Denver could also be a strong place for A.J. Brown
The Broncos are a team on the verge of being a true Super Bowl contender. They could use more offensive weaponry. Brown could lift the Broncos to another level.
Just imagine what Brown would do not only to the passing game, but also to an improving ground attack by forcing lighter boxes. Quarterback Bo Nix said the ground attack has made a difference already, according to ESPN.
“Just running the ball efficiently really helps,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said. “Those guys ran the ball tough, we blocked it tough. … Week 4 of the season, you kind of know a little bit more of what you want to be as a team. First and second down were so much better.”
Brown would lift the Broncos into title contention the same way he did with the Eagles when the Titans made that silly trade before the 2022 season.
Would the Colts make a move for Brown?
This doesn’t seem as likely for two reasons. The Colts don’t seem to be a receiver away from being a Super Bowl contender. And there are still questions about Daniel Jones.
If the Colts gave up draft capital to get Brown, and Jones flops, they could be in the market for a long rebuild. And they would have wasted whatever they gave up for Brown. Maybe they could trade him at that point and get some of it back.
But that’s a long and winding road fraught with more risk than seems necessary. The Colts need a full season to evaluate if they can roll with Jones for the long term. Then they can go after a big-name receiver.
