PHILADELPHIA – Both Eagles decision-makers were asked point blank about A.J. Brown – will he back this season – during a sit-down meeting with reporters on Friday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex in South Philly.
On Tuesday afternoon, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni will talk for about 15 minutes each at the podium inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. They gave us a sneak peek preview of what they might say in back-to-back sessions that lasted about 35 to 40 minutes individually.
This is how they answered the question if Brown will be here.
Sirianni: “My expectation is he wants to be here.”
Roseman: “I’d go back to what I said at the end of the season. It’s really hard to find great players. I think AJ is a great player. I think that from my perspective, we’re looking to improve in all areas, and you don’t do that by subtracting.”
Both went a little further, and here’s is where some doubt could enter about Brown’s return.
No Guarantees From Nick Sirianni
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni fires passes at receivers during individual drills at training camp on Day 16. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI
Sirianni: “I think we’re still in a spot like I can’t guarantee how anything’s going to play out into next season. I can’t guarantee that…I’m thinking I’m going to be the head coach next season, but you can’t guarantee anything past tomorrow.
“As Howie said, it’s hard to get good players in this league and A.J.’s a great player. And AJ’s a good teammate and AJ’s a good person. Does he want to be here? I said yes and I said when you asked if I want him be here, I said yes. Hopefully that works out.”
Roseman was asked if that includes making a player stay if he was unhappy or try to trade him.
Roseman: “I think that any trade that we’ve made, we’ve done because we’ve felt that was the right thing to do for the Philadelphia Eagles. I can’t remember at any time that I’ve done anything, that when I did it, that I didn’t think was in the best interest of the team. It’s always going to be about the team. It’s always going to be about our players. If I start doing things that are about individuals, as opposed to the team, I’m not doing my job.”
Answers to two of the Eagles’ biggest offseason personnel questions have been answered, with Lane Johnson returning, and not retiring, for a 14th NFL season at right tackle, and Landon Dickerson, per reports, expected to put his many injuries behind him as best he can and return to play left guard.
The Brown question, however, still seems unanswered and may not be resolved until training camp opens in July, when we will see if he is there or isn’t.
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