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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
Part of the Philadelphia Eagles trading wide receiver A.J. Brown — if that’s what they really want to do — is finding the exact right trade partner to make that deal happen.
And by the right trade partner, what we mean is someone willing to pay the highest price for Brown, who has worn out his welcome in Philadelphia after 4 seasons, 3 NFL All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl title.
One qualification for any team should be that they’re not in the NFC. The Eagles don’t want Brown burning them down the road in that fashion.
Another qualification is finding a team desperate enough for an elite wide receiver that they’ll cough up what the Eagles want — likely a high draft pick — in exchange for Brown.
That seems like it could very well be the Denver Broncos, who the Locked on Broncos podcast believe need to “legitimize” their roster with an elite wide receiver after falling to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
From Locked on Broncos: “The Broncos need an Alpha Dog at wide receiver … A.J. Brown will move the needle. I’m not against them trading that No. 30 overall pick and maybe even throwing in another pick to get (Brown). We’re going to get proven value, proven impact right away. They make a move like that it tells me they’re serious about winning the Super Bowl. That they’re serious about legitimizing the roster to become a contender. The Broncos throw the ball all the time. They’re going to get him touches. That won’t be a problem in Denver like it’s been in Philadelphia.”
Biggest Risk With Brown: Locker Room Chemistry
The scary thing about bringing Brown to the Broncos is what he might do to the chemistry in the locker room if things don’t go his way, which they inevitably won’t every now and then.
The problem with Brown in Philadelphia has been that when things don’t go his way, he complains about it publicly instead of voicing his opinion behind closed doors — or doing it both ways — which has led to problems.
Don’t forget this is the same guy who complained about not getting the ball enough in the middle of a 10-game winning streak in a year in which the Eagles not only won the Super Bowl but he had over 1,000 receiving yards and was named NFL All-Pro. So, maybe he’s just a miserable person to be around and can never be happy.
The Broncos now have the money to pay a player like Brown, but whether he’s worth the headache that comes with that kind of talent is a question only head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton can answer.
Better Option Might Be Free Agency
Say what you will about giving up a 1st round pick in exchange for Brown being smart — he is only 28 years old and still in his prime — it still comes with risk. Teams simply can’t be so free with coughing up those picks.
The better move might be for the Broncos to get 2 really good/possibly great wide receivers in free agency for the price of what it may cost to get Brown. Think something along the lines of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce for around the $30 million per year it would have cost for Brown.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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