On Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams eliminated the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles from the NFL playoffs. To return to the promised land, the Eagles should go all-in and trade for Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver, Antonio Brown.
The 2018 Philadelphia Eagles were not the same dominating team they were in 2017. Their lack of explosiveness could very well be the reason for Sunday's early postseason exit against the Los Angeles Rams. That's why acquiring Antonio Brown should be a necessity this offseason for De facto GM Howie Roseman.
Brown is no Golden Tate, who Roseman acquired from the Detroit Lines as a mid-season addition. Tate, a former Pro Bowl wide receiver, caught two passes on Sunday, and they very likely will be the last receptions he makes as an Eagle. He, along with receivers Mike Wallace and Jordy Matthews, will file as free agents. With several veteran wide receivers exiting Philly, there's a clear need to add a new set of pass catchers.
One could make an argument that there is a risk with adding Brown who may have had a down year in 2018. Even though Brown was not at his best, he still made the Pro Bowl. There's no question that AB should still be recognized as one of the premier talents in the league by everyone. It's true that in terms of efficiency, Brown took a step back in 2018. According to Football Outsiders, he ranked 41st in DVOA among wide receivers. Unsurprisingly, he still ranked first in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 15 total.
Brown would improve Philly's Inefficient Receiving Unit
As for Eagles receivers in 2018, they really struggled in terms of efficiency. Tate failed to make a major impact after being acquired and ranked 81st in DVOA. Mike Wallace barely played this year because he, unfortunately, broke his fibula during Week 2. Nelson Agholor did not nearly return to his 2017 form as he ranked 77th in DVOA. Among receivers who caught between 10 and 49 passes, Matthews ranked 28th in DVOA. Despite all of the negatives, on the bright side, Alshon Jeffery returned to his old form and ranked 13th in DVOA.
If the Eagles want a lethal offensive trio, look no further. Adding Antonio Brown to an offensive unit that already has tight end Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery could be dynamite. Quarterback Carson Wentz (or Nick Foles) would lick their chops at the possibilities this offseason if the Eagles were to acquire AB. Sidenote: it's likely Foles could be traded for a big return this offseason.
Another reason why the Eagles should acquire Brown is that they aren't losing a ton of impacting talent. Many of their soon to be free agents are either injury prone or set to retire. Roseman will obviously be busy replenishing the roster, but acquiring a star like Brown could make it more compelling for prospective players to sign for cheap. It's important to note though that Philly will have their hands full with attempting to retain Super Bowl hero defensive end Brandon Graham.
Maybe Adding Brown Could Lead To Signing RB Le'Veon Bell
Antonio Brown isn't the type of player the Pittsburgh Steelers will want to give away for cheap. But Brown definitely wants out of the yellow and black colored franchise. According to CBS, he removed his affiliation with the Steelers from his bio on his official Twitter page on Sunday. If that doesn't scream he wants out of Pittsburgh, I don't know what does.
Recent reports by the New York Post show the San Franciso 49ers are his preferred destination. I wouldn't bet against other teams ignoring the possibility of acquiring Brown. Rumors have indicated several teams are expected to make a serious run at acquiring the very talented 30-year-old. The Eagles would be a perfect fit for him and it could lead to something bigger.
I'd say it's unlikely, but imagine if the Eagles were able to reunite Brown and free agent running back Le'Veon Bell during the same offseason? If you're an Eagles fan, you can dream of this lovely scenario. Bell has his eye on the Indianapolis Colts, who have plenty of money to spend this offseason. However, a reunion with Antonio Brown may be too good to pass up.
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