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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field after his team’s 23-19 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Unless something wild happens over the next few months, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With that decision comes a lot of responsibility from the Raiders’ end to make sure he’s set up for success from Day 1. Revamping the offensive line, bringing in coaches who will challenge Mendoza, and adding weapons on offense.
And for that last part, an advantageous opportunity will likely open up in the trade market, according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.
Latest A.J. Brown Report Could Open A Window for the Raiders to Make A Trade
GettyA.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles makes a catch for a touchdown defended by Jeremy Chinn #11 of the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to Fowler, who spoke to sources around the league, the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to entertain trade offers for disgruntled star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
“Well, some people I’ve talked to around the league, some executives of other teams, do expect the Eagles will at least entertain a trade for A.J. Brown, who was unhappy on numerous fronts. I mean, name the counts where he looked like he was miserable out there, body language wasn’t good, so something has to give that’s sort of the feeling right now.”
Brown has made it evident through his body language on the field numerous times, not just this season, but in 2024 as well, that he’s not happy with his role on the team.
Back in November, Brown commented on his frustration, saying, “It’s not just solely about my situation. I want to win, too. I think if we’re really focused on winning and doing our job, we can’t just keep slapping a Band-Aid over the defense doing their job and getting us out of trouble.”
The Raiders, with the second-most cap space as of February 12th in the NFL, have $91.5 million (according to OverTheCap.com) and have the draft capital necessary to pull off a trade for Brown. A core of Mendoza, Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and Brown would instantly raise the floor for what the offense could achieve under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
CBS Sports Lists Raiders as A Trade Destination for Brown
CBS Sports listed the Raiders as a logical destination for Brown, along with the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos. There will be plenty of suitors for the 28-year-old receiver, and CBS Sports listed his projected trade value at just a third and fifth-round pick.
Personally, the feeling is the Eagles would rather hold onto Brown than trade him away for just a third and fifth-round pick, so teams would have to raise their trade pitch for them to even contemplate trading him away.
Either way, the Raiders should be calling the Eagles to see what the cost would be to acquire Brown, if Philadelphia is open to listening to offers. Making a move like this could help jumpstart Mendoza’s career and give the Raiders some serious firepower on offense for years to come.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. More about Isaac Zuniga
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