Feb. 20, 2026, 1:38 p.m. ET

The NFL offseason lives and sometimes thrives on hypotheticals. Some are grounded in logic. Others feel like talk-radio fuel meant to stir debate more than signal reality. Either way, when the Philadelphia Eagles show up in trade chatter, people pay attention, especially when the ideas involve star talent or potential future assets.

That’s exactly what happened when ESPN floated a pair of proposals that, while unlikely, do offer an interesting look at how the league views Philadelphia’s roster.

The Eagles are mentioned in two ESPN trade ideas.

ESPN recently released its theory on 2026 NFL offseason trade proposals. The Eagles found their way into the conversation twice.

One theory is certainly more interesting than the other. We’re all sick of hearing about A.J. Brown, right? Plus, it doesn’t seem like the Eagles are currently entertaining that idea.

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Still, just in case you’re interested, Bill Barnwell, the writer of this one, agrees. He thinks there’s a “better chance” of A.J. Brown sticking around for a year than some might think. Still, he thinks a Denver Broncos trade to acquire A.J. Brown makes sense.

Denver hands cornerback Riley Moss, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Eagles to sweeten the pot. Here are some of what was mentioned as justification.

“… A Brown trade would be financially difficult. The Eagles would be on the hook for $43.5 million in dead money if they traded Brown before June 1. That’s manageable in the modern NFL with a cap north of $300 million, but the Eagles could be stuck with stiff dead cap hits if Dallas Goedert and Brandon Graham don’t return, and Lane Johnson retires.”

Since this story’s release, we have learned that Lane Johnson will return for a 14th NFL season, but as you can see, the A.J. Brown theories continue. If you’re in the camp that would like to see backup quarterback Tanner McKee used as trade bait, you’re in luck. There’s a theory for that as well.

Barnwell also imagines a scenario in which McKee is traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 third-round pick and a conditional 2027 third-round pick.

“The Steelers aren’t rebuilding, but they can’t stay stuck in this QB cycle forever. Six different quarterbacks have started games for the Steelers over the past four years, and only one of them, veteran backup Mason Rudolph, is on the 2026 roster. Yes, 2024 sixth-round pick Will Howard is also in the building, but the track record of sixth-round picks who aren’t Tom Brady turning into successful NFL quarterbacks is slim. Howard missed all of his first preseason because of a hand injury, which didn’t help matters.”

New head coach Mike McCarthy presents an interesting dynamic. He could potentially reunite with Aaron Rodgers, but if you remember, they weren’t doing too well working together during the final years of their run together as Green Bay Packers.

At the end of the day, these ideas say more about perception than probability. Around the league, the Eagles are viewed as talented enough to attract aggressive offers and deep enough to consider strategic moves. That doesn’t mean they should, or will, make those moves.

Contenders stay contenders by resisting unnecessary disruption, and Philadelphia’s front office has earned the benefit of the doubt. The noise will continue, but until the Eagles actually pick up the phone, these theories belong where most offseason speculation lives, somewhere between entertaining and irrelevant.