Feb. 26, 2026, 9:09 p.m. ET
Another NFL Combine is underway. The new league year and free agency begin on March 11. The trade speculation surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles and A.J. Brown has felt like background noise for weeks now. Scroll social media on any given day, and you’ll find a new theory, a new hypothetical deal, or a new “league source” suggesting the star receiver could be on the move.
Most of it has been easy to dismiss. This time, though, the latest update carries a bit more weight. NFL insider Dianna Russini has offered fresh insight into the situation.
No, she hasn’t reported that a trade is imminent. The tone of the update suggests the chatter isn’t entirely fabricated either. It appears Brown’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, is meeting with teams in an attempt to gauge interest in the star wide receiver.
Yeah.We’d say that’s significant. That doesn’t appear to be the actions we’d expect from someone who’s happy in Philadelphia and wants to stay there. Russini is indicating that teams continue to monitor Brown’s status and that conversations, even if exploratory, aren’t fictional. These are conversations that are actually happening.
That alone is enough to raise eyebrows, but we can’t ignore the financial component. Brown is set to carry a significant cap hit in 2026, and the structure of his deal creates two very different outcomes depending on timing.
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If the Eagles were to trade him before June 1, his cap hit is $43.5 Million. If he’s released, that number swells to $72.5 Million. If traded after June 1, the cap hits are $16.3 Million in 2026 and $27.2 Million in 2027. If cut after June 1, his dead cap numbers are $45.4 Million in 2026 and $27.1 Million in 2027.
In a league where timing often dictates leverage, that distinction matters.
Of course, the mathematical exercises only tell part of the story. Brown remains one of the NFL’s premier receivers. His physical presence, production, and chemistry aren’t easily replaced. Just ask the Tennessee Titans.
Trading a player of his caliber would signal more than a financial pivot. It would hint at a philosophical shift. An Eagles’ offense that wasn’t that good in 2025 won’t be immediately better without him.
That’s why Russini’s update feels different. It doesn’t scream inevitability, but it does suggest this saga isn’t offseason fiction. Until the Eagles publicly shut the door or the calendar flips past June 1 without movement, this conversation certainly won’t be going away.