Eagles' A.J. Brown trade update points toward major decision

Billy Heyen

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Eagles' A.J. Brown trade update points toward major decision image

The Philadelphia Eagles and A.J. Brown haven't necessarily seen eye-to-eye this season.

Brown wants more targets. The Eagles' passing attack hasn't made that happen. Brown has expressed his displeasure in a variety of ways.

Throughout the saga, Brown hasn't stopped playing hard. He even has put together a few impressive games.

But all told, the situation may be wearing thin.

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ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote on Wednesday about the possibility of a Brown trade away from Philadelphia this offseason. He sees it as a very firm possible outcome.

"The weekly concerns about Brown's messaging -- from sonnets to soundbites -- must be taxing on Philadelphia's locker room, even if players understand the receiver's frustration due to the limitations of the Eagles' passing attack," Fowler writes. "Several executives I spoke to believe the Eagles could look to move Brown, who's 28 and still has prime years left."

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There are various salary cap implications to trading Brown, but the Eagles can likely manage those.

"He would undoubtedly have a market," Fowler writes. "He's due $50 million in cash over the next two years, which is manageable for a WR1. The Eagles would absorb a $20 million cap hit if he's traded before June 1, or they could save $7 million on the cap by waiting until after June 1 to deal him. Either way, the Eagles have shown cap challenges won't deter them (see: the Carson Wentz trade). And it seems that Brown would welcome a new passing game at this point."

The end of the season could also determine Brown's final outcome.

If the Eagles go on a playoff run and Brown is a big part of it, maybe that returns some good graces. But if Philly exits quietly and Brown isn't given much chance, it may accelerate his journey out of town.

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Contributing Writer