A.J. Brown

Eagles WR A.J. Brown Expects To Miss Several Weeks

September 16th, 2024 at 8:05pm CST by Ben Levine

A.J. Brown suffered a hamstring injury during Friday’s practice that sidelined him for tonight’s matchup with the Falcons. However, it’s sounding like the wide receiver may face more than a one-week absence.

Brown told ESPN’s Lisa Salters that he expects to miss a couple of weeks while dealing with his hamstring issue (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The receiver clarified that the injury isn’t “too serious,” and it sounds like Brown isn’t expecting an IR stint.

The wideout didn’t miss a regular season game through his first two seasons in Philly, although he did miss last year’s playoff loss while dealing with a knee injury. The former Titans second-round pick has taken his game to another level with the Eagles, with Brown averaging 97 catches for 2,952 yards and nine touchdowns between his two campaigns.

DeVonta Smith will leap to the top of the depth chart with Brown sidelined, but the rest of the team’s receiving corps remains questionable. Jahan Dotson is expected to be the main beneficiary of Brown’s absence, but the Eagles could also look to the likes of Parris Campbell, Britain Covey, and sixth-round rookie Johnny Wilson.

Contract Details: Brown, Phillips, Highsmith

May 12th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles recently made A.J. Brown the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. We already knew a number of details from that incredible contract, but thanks to Will Laws of Sports Illustrated, we now know of a wild detail with unprecedented consequences.

Laws points out that Brown’s deal includes a void year at the end of the contract that will hold a $53.52MM cap hit. This is actually a common contract technique the Eagles have been employing in recent years that allow them a ton of flexibility financially. Several other players have massive voidable cap hits like Jalen Hurts ($97.55MM), DeVonta Smith ($35.78MM), and others.

This likely doesn’t mean that someday the Eagles will suddenly be committing a triple-digit cap figure to players no longer on their roster. That could only happen if they see every contract through to completion. More likely, Philadelphia will be extremely strategic about how long to hold on to those players, cutting them at times that will allow for ideal cap savings. For instance, starting in 2027, the Eagles will be able to cut Brown and receive more in cap savings than they’ll be losing to dead money.

Here are a few other contract details on recent deals around the NFL:

Thanks to the veteran salary benefit, the Buccaneers‘ new deal with defensive end William Gholston will have the minimum $1.21MM base salary that will only count for $1.15MM against the salary cap, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Gholston will also be able to earn an active roster bonus of $167.5K in Week 1.
The Texans recently signed linebacker Jacob Phillips to a new contract. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us the deal is for one year and $1.15MM. He’ll receive a base salary of $1.06MM and a signing bonus of $45K. He can earn additional per game active roster bonuses of $2,941 for a potential season-total of $50K.
This last bullet is actually details on a restructure that the Steelers pulled off recently with pass rusher Alex Highsmith, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The team was able to convert $8.75MM of Highsmith’s 2024 base salary into a signing bonus while adding a void year to the end of his four-year deal, $68MM deal. As a result, Pittsburgh clears out $7MM of cap space.

Eagles Extend WR A.J. Brown

April 25th, 2024 at 11:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles have DeVonta Smith on the books through a lucrative extension, but the same is now true of fellow wideout A.J. Brown. The latter has agreed to a three-year, $96MM extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the move.

This deal – which Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested earlier Thursday night would become public – carries the highest AAV in league history amongst wideouts ($32MM). Rapoport adds Brown will collect $84MM in total guarantees, which is also a new watermark at the position. The three-time Pro Bowler is now under contract through the 2029 campaign.

Philadelphia became the first team in NFL history to extend a first-round wideout in his first year of eligibility during the fifth-year option era when they inked Smith to a three-year, $75MM pact. That contract comes in addition to his 2025 option year, and eyebrows were raised when he landed an AAV matching that of Brown. The latter had been attached to the four-year, $100MM pact he signed upon arrival from the Titans during the first round of the draft two years ago.

The $25MM annual average value of that agreement placed Brown in a tie for fourth amongst receivers as of the Smith agreement being worked out. As the position’s market continues to point upward (as demonstrated by yesterday’s decision by the Lions to extend Amon-Ra St. Brown), Brown will once again benefit. The 26-year-old has proven to be a vital member of the Eagles’ offense, posting 2,952 yards and 18 touchdowns in two Philadelphia seasons.

Considering his production, Brown’s scheduled 2024 cap hit of $12.38MM represents a bargain. It will be interesting to see if that figure changes as a a result of this new deal, but in any event future cap numbers could be reduced. Heading into Thursday, the Ole Miss product was due to count $26.5MM and $41.5MM in 2025 and ’26, respectively. Flattening out those hits will likely be a by-product of today’s move.

In any case, this agreement marks the latest of several massive investments made by the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Along with Smith, Brown joins left tackle Jordan Mailata and left tackle Landon Dickerson in landing monster new contracts recently. He will be counted on to continue producing top-tier production in the passing game, and the ongoing presence of many of Philadelphia’s foundational offensive contributors makes it likely that will be the case.

WR A.J. Brown On Eagles: “I Want To Be Here”

February 24th, 2024 at 11:26am CST by Ben Levine

After starting the season 10-1, the Eagles stumbled to an 1-5 finish before ultimately losing in the first round of the playoffs. Following the late-season collapse, there have been some questions surrounding some players’ commitment to the organization, particularly wideout A.J. Brown.

However, the receiver was quick to dismiss the notion that he wants out of Philly. Brown called into 94WIP Afternoon Show in Philadelphia on Friday to clear the air regarding his feelings for the Eagles organization.

“I have no problem. I want to be here, it’s as simple as that,” Brown said (via NFL.com’s Christian Gonzales). “I love where I’m at, it’s as simple as that. Next question.

“…Honestly, like I said the other day, I could have plans but also know it’s a business. But I can tell you that I want to be here. That’s all I can say.”

As the Eagles took a nosedive, so did Brown’s numbers. The receiver compiled 125-plus receiving yards in six straight games towards the beginning of the year, earning him the NFC Offensive Player of the Month award in October. However, from Week 9 through the end of the regular season, Brown only hauled in 46 catches for 517 yards and two touchdowns, and he was ultimately sidelined for the team’s Wild Card loss to the Buccaneers.

Thanks to that significant decline in production, many have questioned if Brown was upset with the team’s offense and quarterback Jalen Hurts. The receiver cited the duo’s previous success as reasoning for why their relationship won’t fracture.

“You know, I think that’s sort of BS. I’m not going to get into me and his relationship on the air,” Brown said. “But it’s total BS, you know what I’m saying. It wasn’t a problem when I was on my six-game streak. They weren’t talking about that then, so they only started talking about that when we started losing. Of course, you see friction from everybody, from the coaches, the players and from everybody. So, there you go.”

After getting traded to the Eagles in 2022, Brown inked a four-year, $100MM deal with the organization that featured $57MM in guaranteed money. The receiver is likely locked in for several more years (the organization has an out after the 2024 campaign), so if Brown truly wants out of Philly, he’d need the organization to acquiesce.

Eagles WR A.J. Brown Ruled Out For Wild-Card Round

January 14th, 2024 at 12:19pm CST by Rory Parks

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has announced that his club will be without star wideout A.J. Brown for its wild-card round matchup with the Bucs on Monday (via ESPN’s Tim McManus). Brown suffered a knee injury in last week’s regular-season finale against the Giants, and while Sirianni said the three-time Pro Bowler “fought like crazy” in his efforts to heal up in time for the Tampa Bay contest, he was ultimately unable to do so.

Luckily, the injury is not a long-term one, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Brown will be expected to play in the divisional round if Philadelphia should advance. Of course, his absence will make it more difficult for the Eagles to defeat the Bucs, and it exacerbates what has already been an exceedingly trying stretch for the reigning NFC champions.

Since storming out to a 10-1 start to the 2023 campaign, the Eagles lost five of their final six contests to drop them not only out of contention for the No. 1 seed in the conference, but from their place atop the NFC East. During that time, Sirianni made the curious decision to hand defensive play-calling duties to Matt Patricia, which did not move the needle, and Sirianni’s own job security has recently been called into question. If the Eagles’ swoon should culminate in a loss to the Bucs tomorrow, it is at least feasible that owner Jeffrey Lurie will seek an overhaul of the entire coaching staff.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who regressed this year after a 2022 season in which he finished second in MVP voting, is dealing with an injured middle finger on his throwing hand, so he could be somewhat limited as he throws to a diminished WR corps. Though the Eagles still boast high-end skill position talent in the form of players like DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and D’Andre Swift, there is no replacing Brown in the club’s offensive scheme.

In 2023, Brown recorded a career-high 106 receptions for 1,456 yards and seven TDs. And while Hurts’ performance generally declined this season, he and Brown continued to be in sync, as Brown’s 67.1% catch percentage was the highest mark of his career (though Brown’s 13.7 yards-per-catch rate was the lowest of his five-year NFL run, which helps to explain the elevated catch percentage).

Last week’s game against New York was not meaningless, as the Eagles still could have won their division and secured a home playoff game if they had defeated the Giants and if the Cowboys had lost to, or tied with, the Commanders. However, the odds of the moribund Washington outfit putting up much of a fight against Dallas were quite long, so Sirianni’s decision to play his starters has been heavily scrutinized (especially in the wake of Brown’s injury). The third-year HC stood by his call, however.

“We went through it, like you guys asked me before, ‘why did we do it,’” Sirianni said (via Zach Berman of PHLY). “Not knowing what the game was, you know, wanting to put a good output on there. I know that those things didn’t – neither of those things happened. But no. Obviously, you can look back on anything. At that time, I did what I thought was best for the team, and I’ll stick by that. And so, I don’t regret — am I upset that A.J. is not playing because he got dinged in that game? Of course, I am. But no, I don’t second guess that decision.”

Titans Owner: A.J. Brown Game Did Not Factor Into GM Decision

December 9th, 2022 at 4:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

While A.J. Brown‘s performance in his first game against the Titans did not represent a good look for his first NFL franchise, Amy Adams Strunk said the game did not factor into her decision to fire GM Jon Robinson.

The Titans owner indicated her decision to can the seventh-year GM was already made, despite having signed Robinson to an extension in February. Rumored to be displeased with the state of her team’s roster, Adams Strunk preferred to let Robinson go early rather than going through a lengthy delay.

“I’d already made my decision,” Strunk said, via the Associated Press’ Teresa Walker. “A.J. had a great game. More power to him, but that didn’t actually have anything to do with that.

“… Once I made the decision, I was like, ’I can’t sit on it. I’ve got to go ahead and do it to be fair to Jon.′ I don’t know how many weeks we have left in the season. There could be a lot more hopefully in our season, and it just didn’t seem like the right thing to do to drag this along.”

Adams Strunk confirmed she was in the loop on the negotiations that led up to the draft-night Brown trade, Walker adds, but after studying Robinson’s body of work — from drafts to free agency to season performances — she opted to cut bait. This comes after Robinson, teaming with HCs Mike Mularkey and Mike Vrabel, did not have a losing season while running the team. The Titans went 3-13 the season before Robinson’s hire.

The timing here is obviously interesting, with Robinson’s recent extension running through the 2027 draft. Ownership’s decision here has dismayed many around the league, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes (subscription required), adding that Robinson should not have trouble landing another high-profile position soon.

“I told the fans from the very beginning that I want to win it all, and I want to be one of those elite teams that people are always scared of, and it’s my responsibility,” Strunk said. “And eventually it’s up to me to make those kind of decisions that get us there.”

Tennessee has advanced to three straight playoff brackets, earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed — for the first time since 2008 — last season. The Titans flamed out immediately after their bye, losing to the Bengals despite sacking Joe Burrow nine times. The 2019 team did upset the Patriots and Ravens en route to the AFC championship game, however. This year’s squad has lost two straight, but with the rest of the AFC South either rebuilding or underwhelming, the Titans (7-5) remain on track to make another postseason berth.

Robinson, who fired Mularkey after back-to-back winning seasons, made a number of solid draft choices to help put the team in position to contend after Ryan Tannehill‘s 2019 arrival via trade (for fourth- and seventh-round picks). The team has never extended one of Robinson’s first-round picks, however, and the 2020 Isaiah Wilson whiff represented one of this era’s worst draft choices. The Titans have also seen a number of players go on IR over the past two seasons; their 16 players on IR leads the NFL this year. Adams Strunk mentioned the number of players the injuries have forced the Titans to use, per Walker, who notes the team has used 76 players this season. Tennessee set an NFL record by using 91 last year.

Adams Strunk did not mention offensive coordinator Todd Downing‘s DUI arrest or the NFL investigation that emerged in the aftermath as a reason for the firing. That brought another major headline for the team due to the timing between the Titans’ plane landing from Wisconsin and Downing’s arrest. Downing remains in place as OC, though Vrabel said that could change depending on the investigation.

This surprising decision also did not come about because of a Vrabel ultimatum, Adams Strunk added. Vrabel and VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden will coordinate personnel moves for the rest of this season. Adams Strunk did not rule out the Titans waiting until after the Super Bowl to make the right hire, if necessary, and Walker adds Vrabel will be involved in the process.

A.J. Brown Knee Trouble Influenced Titans’ Trade Decision?

December 9th, 2022 at 12:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the Titans’ decision to send A.J. Brown to the Eagles, they dealt with a quick revenge game. The recently extended wide receiver made a rather notable impact in Week 13’s Tennessee-Philadelphia matchup — an Eagles rout. Although other factors undoubtedly contributed to Jon Robinson‘s ouster, the GM’s decision to unload Brown certainly played a role.

Titans ownership extended Robinson and Mike Vrabel in January, but a recent report indicated owner Amy Adams Strunk had become displeased with the state of the team’s roster. Brown’s absence is the most significant difference between last season’s Titans roster and this one, and the narrow gap between the fourth-year wideout’s 119-yard, two-touchdown day and Robinson’s firing is difficult to overlook.

The Titans were the first team to act on a contract impasse with a fourth-year wideout this offseason, bowing out of negotiations early by sending Brown to the Eagles — for first- and third-round picks — and drafting Treylon Burks. Tennessee’s front office viewed Brown’s health as a potential long-term issue, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, who notes Robinson and personnel staffers had concerns about the talented receiver’s early-career knee trouble.

Knee trouble did plague Brown, 25, at points during his Tennessee tenure. He underwent surgery on both knees during the 2021 offseason. That followed a season in which Brown missed games and extensive practice time due to a knee contusion. Knee trouble also recurred during the 2021 preseason, but it was a chest injury led Brown to a three-game IR stay last year.

The Titans had started negotiations with Brown in late March, and Robinson said he wanted the former second-round pick to be a long-term Titan. A day before the draft, a report indicated Brown had been in touch with the Titans’ coaching staff and the sides’ relationship was fine despite an early proclamation the wideout would skip offseason work absent a new deal. Brown later said the Titans did not offer him a $20MM-per-year deal and mentioned it would not have taken the Eagles’ ultimate price — $25MM AAV — to keep him in Nashville.

Vrabel’s draft-room reaction became one of the more memorable visuals from this year’s draft weekend, and the Titans have been unable to replace the production the Ole Miss alum provided during his rookie-contract years. Brown (950 receiving yards) is averaging a career-high 79.2 per game with Philly, and his nine touchdown receptions are two shy of a career-best mark (set in 2020). The Titans have featured one of the league’s worst passing attacks, with no player above 375 receiving yards yet. Burks (team-leading 359 yards in just eight games) has shown promise, but various issues have forced him to miss offseason time and game action this year. Coming off ACL surgery, Robert Woods (357 yards in 12 games) has not recaptured the form he showed with the Rams.

The Eagles are paying up for Brown, having authorized a four-year, $100MM extension that included a receiver-record $56MM fully guaranteed. The Titans’ reboot at receiver did not precede other teams operating similarly, and Philly’s $25MM-per-year Brown accord gave the Commanders, Seahawks and 49ers a road map. Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf and Deebo Samuel all missed offseason time because of contract issues, but they ended up each signing three-year deals worth between $23.2MM and $24MM. Burks can be kept on a rookie deal through 2026, via the fifth-year option, but plenty will be on the former Arkansas standout’s shoulders going forward.

Eagles WR A.J. Brown Discusses Trade From Titans

August 4th, 2022 at 9:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Since A.J. Brown was dealt to the Eagles, there’s been a narrative out of Tennessee that the wideout’s contract demands ultimately led to a trade. Brown is making it loud and clear that that wasn’t the case. During an appearance on NFL Network today, the Eagles wide receiver stated that he wasn’t a fan of how his stint with the Titans came to an end.

“You know, it’s a business, and I’m not upset about the trade or anything because it is a business or whatever,” Brown said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “But to be honest, I just didn’t appreciate how it all went down, and they just kind of blamed me for it. I’m man enough to say that, however people may take it. But I have no bad blood with Tennessee. I’m moving forward. I’m happy to be here. But (there are) a lot of things people don’t know about, and they’re just pointing fingers at me. But that’s OK.”

To review: Brown and the Titans had preliminary talks on an extension during the early parts of the offseason, but after a deal couldn’t be reached, it was reported that the wideout wouldn’t be participating in offseason programs. The Titans front office didn’t blink and suddenly traded him to Philly on Day 1 of the draft, ending the former second-round pick’s three-year tenure with the organization.

Following the trade, Brown was similarly critical of the Titans organization, noting that they never came close to offering him his asking price during negotiations. He also admitted that the Titans wouldn’t have even had to pony up and match the extension that he ultimately got from Philly (four years, $100MM), and he seemed to insinuate that it was Tennessee’s negotiation tactics that already resulted in a trade.

While Brown says he’s not upset about the trade, that hasn’t stopped him from talking about the Titans. He even recently took to Twitter to point out that fellow fourth-year wideouts Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and D.K. Metcalf all got their sizable extensions…but none of them were traded.

Now in Philadelphia, Brown will be looking to build a quick rapport with Jalen Hurts while guiding a WR room that also features DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, and Jalen Reagor.

Jets Looked Into A.J. Brown Trade

June 20th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The wide receiver the Jets did end up with, Garrett Wilson, will be linked to a number of higher-profile pass catchers for a while. Because the Jets completed a thorough tour of the wideout trade market this offseason.

They made an offer that included the No. 10 overall pick for Deebo Samuel, were on the doorstep of a Tyreek Hill trade and were in the mix for Amari Cooper. The Jets also called the Seahawks on D.K. Metcalf. Rounding out this cycle, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes the team also looked into an A.J. Brown deal.

Going into the draft, Titans bigwigs continued to say their No. 1 wideout was not available. Extension talks and pro-extension sentiments were bandied about. That all fell apart on draft day, when the Titans decided a future with Brown — in a market affected by the Hill and Davante Adams trades — was not worth what it could cost to secure it. Tennessee sent Brown to Philadelphia for first- and third-round picks, leading to the Eagles’ monster extension (four years, $100MM, receiver-high $56MM fully guaranteed) and the Titans obtaining the No. 18 overall choice.

Prior to the Brown deal being announced, the Jets offered the 49ers the No. 10 pick. But that deal would have included San Francisco’s No. 61 selection going to New York. The 49ers stood pat, leading this complex Jets process to Wilson, whom Cimini notes the team had rated ahead of No. 8 overall pick Drake London. Gang Green’s offseason receiver frenzy nearly involved trading up to No. 9, in an effort to ensure no one traded ahead of the wideout-fixated franchise, but saw the Seahawks hang onto their pick and draft a tackle (Charles Cross).

This all clears the way for Wilson, whom Cimini notes the team will be prepared to use outside and in the slot. The 6-foot, 183-pound rookie will be expected to grow into the Jets’ No. 1 receiver, and although he lacks the proven ability of the players the team chased, the addition of the ex-Buckeyes talent rounds out a productive offseason for the AFC East squad at this spot. The team’s decision to re-sign Braxton Berrios gives it a top four of Wilson, Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and Berrios.

Whereas the others the Jets chased are tied to monster contracts or likely soon will be, in Samuel’s case, Wilson also comes at a rookie-deal price through at least 2024. The Jets have the ability to keep him on this pact through 2026. The Jets’ additions of C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin stand to help out Zach Wilson as well, after recent seasons did not see much production from New York’s tight end position.

Draft Notes: Remaining QBs, Jets, Vikings, Burks, Johnson

April 29th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the main storylines from last night’s first round was the fact that only one quarterback came off the board. The Steelers have their preferred choice in Kenny Pickett, but the other top options likely won’t have to wait long to hear their names called.

Jeff Howe of the Athletic reports (via Twitter) that “several teams” are trying to move up in the second round. As a result, there is “anticipation that a QB run could be on the way”. A number of teams could be interested in adding the likes of Malik Willis, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral as intriguing developmental options.

On that point, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the Titans, Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders as teams to watch for. He reports that “Ridder’s name has been consistently connected to Tennessee”, who now holds the 35th overall pick. The other teams have done significant work on signal-callers as well. Perhaps eyeing a passer, the Seahawks have made “exploratory calls” about moving up tonight, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (Twitter link).

Here are some other notes looking back on last night:

The Jets, as it has been reported, were willing to part with the No. 10 pick for Deebo Samuel. They almost made a different deal with that selection, though, as detailed by ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). New York wanted to swap with Seattle for No. 9 to avoid a team leapfrogging them to select Garrett Wilson. Both teams were able to successfully stand pat, ultimately getting Charles Cross and Wilson, respectively.
Not long after the top-10 was complete, the Vikings ceded the 12th overall pick to the Lions. With their second first-rounder, Detroit selected Jameson Williams, who may have been the pick at that spot had Minnesota kept it. Breer reports that the Alabama receiver “was very much in play ” for the Vikings, who added Lewis Cine and two Day 2 picks as a result of the deal.
Another of the top receivers to be taken last night was Treylon Burks, whom the Titans selected as a replacement for A.J. Brown. When speaking to Pat McAfee, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Arkansas alum “was the guy Aaron Rodgers wanted” (video link). With him off the board, the Packers extended their streak of not using a Round 1 pick on a wideout, but he reports that they are a candidate to trade up for one tonight (video link).
One of the most surprising fallers on Thursday night was pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II. Part of the reason he was still on the board for the Jets at No. 25, Breer notes, was poor interviews with teams in the pre-draft process. Thought by some as a top-10 pick, he ended up with the Jets anyway, and figures to serve as a notable boost to their pass rush.

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