A.J. Brown rumor could lead to offseason trade with Steelers, Patriots or Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills should all have their eyes on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.

That's because all three teams need help at wide receiver and Brown is considered a trade candidate this offseason. The Eagles' No. 1 wideout has been disgruntled over the offense in recent years and that has led many to believe he could be dealt.

When it comes to Brown's future in Philly, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports that his relationship with the Eagles is "somewhat tenuous" and the two sides are likely to discuss his future with the team in the weeks ahead.

While Russini did not definitively say Brown would or wouldn't be traded, the simple fact that Brown remains unhappy and those conversations will happen suggest there's a chance he'll be moved.

"A.J. Brown’s situation with the Eagles is still unresolved, but his relationship with the team remains somewhat tenuous," she said. "From what I’m hearing, substantial conversations about his future have not yet taken place, but expect talks to ramp up around the NFL combine in two weeks."

The problem for the Eagles is trading Brown would incur a large dead-cap hit. The Eagles would eat $43.4 million if Brown is traded before June 1, and $16.3 million should a deal occur with a post-June 1 designation.

Adding to that, the Eagles would then have to replace Brown, as the cupboard would be bare with DeVonta Smith and not much else behind him.

But if the relationship simply can't be repaired, the Eagles might have no choice but to deal their best wideout.

Of the three teams we mentioned as potential suitors, the Steelers and Patriots are in the best position to make a play for Brown, with Pittsburgh and New England having $44.9 and $42.7 million in cap space, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Bills are in rough shape, with the team projected to be $7.4 million over the cap. However, if the Bills want Brown bad enough, they can find a way to make it work.

We would definitely give the edge to the Patriots over the Steelers and Bills if Brown is given the choice of where to go between the three squads.

Brown played under Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel during their days together in Tennessee and he likely wouldn't mind returning to play under his former head coach, especially with New England being a Super Bowl contender in 2026.

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