Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

More Thoughts on the AJ Brown Situation

Posted April 15th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

I hate writing about this because it is such a divisive topic. People get irrational and you go from an honest discussion to an inane argument. I had someone on Twitter recently tell me I had no journalistic integrity and was just doing clickbait for saying AJ will be traded. If anything, I’m the polar opposite of clickbait. Just look at the headline for today. That’s pretty bland. Not “AJ Must Go!” or something wild.

Trying to understand the situation is tricky because we have to infer things. AJ hasn’t put out a notarized statement saying “I want to be traded” so some people simply will not believe that’s exactly what he does want. They are living in a world that demands definitive proof. Okay. That’s just not the way the real world works. We often have to read between the lines, and that is certainly the case here.

Howie Roseman has stated multiple times that he isn’t in the business of trading away good players. This isn’t a move the Eagles want to make. They would prefer to keep AJ. He’s a top receiver and difference-maker. So why are the Eagles having trade talks? The AJ deniers, as we’ll call them, would have you believe Diana Russini cooked up this story and teams are just calling the Eagles. That might make sense to some, but it isn’t reality. A dozen or so NFL insiders have reported on this at length. That wouldn’t happen if this were some conjured up deal and the Eagles just received a few calls.

We know there have been active negotiations with the Rams and Patriots. That doesn’t happen unless Howie is open to trading AJ. This is a complex financial situation because of the cap ramifications so this isn’t a deal of convenience. The Eagles aren’t rebuilding. They aren’t aggressively looking for picks. So again, why is AJ available?

AJ wants to be traded.

When Haason Reddick wanted out, Howie traded him. When Carson Wentz wanted out, Howie traded him. If veterans let Howie know they feel strongly and want to move on, he does what he can. He’s not trying to trade Jalen Hurts or Jordan Mailata or Cooper DeJean. The Eagles spend a lot of time and money to acquire and develop good players. The last thing they want is to see them leave. But they also understand the importance of keeping players happy and having a healthy locker room. Howie saw how the TO situation divided and broke the 2005 Eagles and even had implications beyond that. If AJ is on the block it is because he wants out.

Why? This is where we have to speculate.

AJ finished 19th in the league in catches and yards last season. RB Bijan Robinson had one more reception than him. Five WRs, one TE and one RB all had 100 or more receptions. AJ had 78. I think that bothers the heck out of him. In his mind it diminishes his value. He’s more talented than several of the guys that were more productive than him. He was 37th in receptions in 2024 so don’t try to blame this on Kevin Patullo.

What if he played in an offense with a good QB that fed the ball to their star receiver? He could be right there with Puka Nacua, Ja’Marr Chase or JSN. And that would help his legacy. I’m sure AJ would love to go to the Hall of Fame. That’s not happening with the Eagles. Receivers have to put up gaudy numbers to get in these days. AJ won’t be a high volume receiver playing alongside DeVonta Smith and with Saquon Barkley getting a ton of carries.

AJ isn’t being greedy. He isn’t after more money. He just sees other guys being featured more than him and wants that. Receivers all have some diva to their personalities so this makes total sense. He’s been to a pair of Super Bowls and won one of them. Why not focus on Canton now? Plus, being a high volume receiver would allow him to have even more of an impact and feel like he’s helping his team even more.

Again, that is all speculation on my part. I talked to my nephew during last season and we got into a discussion on receivers. I mentioned AJ as one of the best in the league. He looked at me like I was crazy. “You think he’s anywhere close to Puka?” That really hit me like a ton of bricks. Fans pay a lot of attention to stats. The perception by casual fans might be that AJ isn’t on the same level as those guys. If AJ gets that sense at all, it would have to drive him crazy. He is incredibly talented.

So why isn’t AJ demanding a trade openly if he does want out? The cap issues make this complicated. Howie can’t promise AJ he’ll find a trade partner. The team has a good relationship with AJ and his agent. They are working together to get this done. Howie won’t let AJ go without fair compensation. He may not get what he ideally wants, but certainly has something he’d be comfortable with. If AJ openly demands a trade, that diminishes his value. Howie would then have to decide if moving him is worth it. By working together, the Eagles have a chance to get a better return and AJ has a better chance to go somewhere he would prefer to be.

Let’s say the Eagles do trade AJ in early June. How does that affect the team? Aren’t they clearly worse? How do you replace him?

You aren’t going to replace AJ one for one with another receiver. This is a bit of a moneyball situation where you try to replace his production through multiple players. The number three receiver on the Eagles has had a total of 52 catches over the past three seasons. That is insanely low. The Eagles either threw it to AJ, DeVonta, DG or they ran the ball. That certainly can work, but it also makes things easier on the defense. You become predictable. By adding multiple veteran receivers and spreading the ball around you can make the defense play more honest.

Fair enough, but what about the critical plays? AJ is a special player and can be a difference-maker in those situations. The problem is that AJ wasn’t that guy consistently last year. He had some costly drops. He wasn’t always running routes at full speed. His blocking fell off. He let his emotions affect his play and it showed to anyone who was watching. Do we think AJ is going to be more dialed in this year? Maybe, but there aren’t any guarantees, especially if he’s told the team he wants out. Football is hard. If you’re not fully bought in, it will show.

The Eagles have mentioned a couple of times that they think DeVonta can take a big step forward and be a volume receiver if the focus is on him. He’s a great route-runner and has strong hands. Seattle won the Super Bowl last year with JSN, an aging Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed as their trio of receivers. Is that significantly better than DeVonta, Dontayvion Wicks and Marquise Brown? They had a great defense that was the key to their team. The Eagles finished 5th in scoring defense last year and expect to be very good this season. The Eagles aren’t trying to be the 1999 Rams. They still have plenty of talent on offense and will almost certainly add a TE and WR in next week’s draft. The 2017 team won it all with Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Torrey Smith and Mack Hollins. You don’t need a pair of elite receivers to win.

The Eagles will certainly be less talented without AJ. They could be a better team, though. They have a new offensive scheme. They will have several veteran receivers who can contribute. Jalen Hurts will have more options and won’t be forcing the ball to AJ, which became a bad habit at times. Find the open guy and get him the ball. Doesn’t matter who it is. The real key to 2026 is the OL getting healthy and playing better. If the OL struggles again, it won’t matter who the receivers are. With a healthy OL and strong running game, the Eagles passing game should be able to get the job done.

There are no guarantees. Change brings on the unknown. The Eagles lost Seth Joyner and Clyde Simmons after the 1993 season. They replaced them with Bill Romanowski and William Fuller in 1994 and the team had a Top 10 defense. They replaced TO with Donte Stallworth in 2006 and had the #2 offense in the league. You can lose stars and still thrive. I could also give plenty of examples where things didn’t work out. I’m not in denial here. The point is that moving on from AJ doesn’t equate to the team definitely taking a step back. Seattle dealt DK Metcalf and got better. The Steelers dealt George Pickens and basically stayed the same (10-7 with and without him) and had almost identical offensive numbers.

This is a highly frustrating situation for everyone. AJ thinks a new team would make him happier. The Eagles don’t want to lose a star player. The fans think trading the star player is nuts and are absolutely against it. The media is just ready for it to be over, one way or the other. Waiting for June to find out if this will happen is draining.

Some will read this and think I’m way off or just stupid. That’s fine. My goal is just to explain things as I see them based on the evidence we have. AJ Brown has been one of my favorite Eagles. I don’t want to see him leave, but I also don’t want the guy from 2025. He was great at times (MIN) and then troubling at others (the painful playoff loss). I just want to try and shed some light as to what is going on with this situation. If you disagree, that’s absolutely fine. We’re all reading a complex situation from the outside.

We’ll get back to draft talk tomorrow.

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Eagles Mock Draft 1.0

Posted April 14th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

Mock drafts can be a fun exercise. Or they can be torturous. You want to be realistic in what you think might happen. At the same time there are surprises every year in the draft. If I had the Eagles drafting Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round last year you all would have put me in an asylum. But he did last that long, shocking us all. That’s the beauty of the draft. As much as we know (or think we know), there will be surprises.

I have been watching tape of prospects for the past couple of months. I’ve got notes on a ton of players. This class isn’t loaded at the top, but has good depth at some positions where the Eagles need it. They don’t have to reach for a TE or safety. There will be good choices on Day 3.

Here is my first attempt at a mock draft for the Eagles. This isn’t my preference, but rather just an idea of what could happen. I’ll post another mock next week with what I want to happen.

1 – 23 – OT Caleb Lomu – Utah – 6-6, 313 

In this scenario both Monroe Freeling and Kadyn Proctor are off the board. The Eagles go with Lomu, who is just 21 years old. He ran 4.99 at the Combine showing good athleticism for a player his size. He started 24 games for the Utes at LT. He has good feet and balance. Can be an excellent pass protector. Did a lot of run blocking for Utah’s run-heavy offense. Able to pull and block on the move. He’ll need to get stronger, but he’s got the kind of tools the Eagles like in prospects. Guys his size don’t normal move like he does. He’s also more technically advanced than you would expect for a 2-year starter. The Eagles brought him to Philly for a visit so we know they have some interest.

I don’t think the transition to RT would be too much of an issue for him. His footwork is smooth and natural, which should help him to adjust to a new side.

2 – 54 – WR Ted Hurst – Georgia State – 6-3, 206

I’m still of the belief that AJ Brown gets traded so the Eagles will likely want to add someone to the mix. They don’t have to do it this early, but Hurst is too good to pass up. He runs 4.42 and has good size. He’s really good at going up and getting the ball. He led the FBS over the past two seasons with 34 receptions of 20 or more yards. We know the Eagles love to focus on explosive plays so Hurst is a good fit from that perspective. He has good body control, which I really value in receivers. Hurst has strong hands. He’ll need some work, but the Eagles have good depth at WR so he can learn as a rookie.

He can be WR2 in the future. He’s got legit size/speed and the skills to go with it.

3 – 68 – Edge Derrick Moore – Michigan – 6-4, 255

Losing Jaelan Phillips means the Eagles need to add an edge rusher. I’m guessing they would like one with a bit of size, someone who can both set the edge vs the run and get after the QB. Moore checks both of those boxes. He is a tough, physical player. He loves to power rush and drive OTs into the backfield. Moore is athletic enough to get by OTs as well. He had 10.5 TFLs, 10 sacks and 2 FF last year. Team captain.

Moore is the kind of productive, disruptive player the Eagles need up front. He’s not a project, but someone who can come in and contribute right away if needed.

3 – 98 – OG Gennings Dunker – Iowa – 6-5, 319

Played RT for the Hawkeyes, but doesn’t have the footwork to be a starting OT in the NFL. Can move inside and play at a high level. Terrific run blocker. Fires off the ball and gets good movement. He’s good on reach blocks, which should be important in the new offense. Dunker is a finisher. He wants to punish defenders and put them on the ground. Solid athlete with 38 career starts. Did play RG for one game at Iowa. Solid pass protector at the college level. Anchors well and plays strong. Smart, technically sound blocker. Gets a lot of attention for his long red mullet, but this guy is a good player. Would fit the Eagles OL room well with his attitude, on and off the field.

We know the Eagles like versatile OL. While I don’t like Dunker’s feet for a full-time starting role, could play RT as a backup if needed.

4 – 114 – TE Nate Boerkircher – Texas A&M – 6-6, 245

The Eagles have to add a TE in this class. They have three guys on one-year deals and need a player for the future. Boerkircher is older than you would prefer at 24, but has a good combination of size, athleticism and skill. He is one of the best blockings TEs in the class. He is also a talented pass-catcher. Boerkircher didn’t post big numbers because of the offenses he played in, but you can see the ability is there. He only went 38-417-4 for his career. 19 of those catches came last year. The Eagles brought him to Philly for a visit so we know they have interest.

Maybe Boerkircher develops into a starting TE. Or maybe he’s TE2 and a good blocker for you. Either would be fine. The Eagles don’t have to find a future starter this year. They do need to find a young TE to be at least a key role player.

4 – 137 – SAF Kamari Ramsey – USC – 6-0, 202

Ramsey played nickelback for the Trojans in 2025. We know Vic Fangio likes versatile DBs so Ramsey checks that box. He has okay size and ran 4.47, which is good speed for a safety. Ramsey is a physical hitter and solid tackler. When he played safety he was deep a lot. Has excellent range. Gets a good break on the ball. He only had 2 INTs in college, but I think he can be more productive in a good defense. USC had some issues.

Ramsey would be a good fit for the Eagles. He can cover man to man or play back and cover the deep middle. He looks like a natural centerfielder type, which would complement Drew Mukuba well. I think Ramsey is a starter and would be great value here.

5 – 178 – DT Cameron Ball – Arkansas – 6-4, 310

The Eagles have a good DL with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo and Byron Young. Ty Robinson didn’t show much as a rookie, but the team was very high on him so let’s give him a chance to develop. There is always room for another talented big man and Ball is just that. He has good size and is also athletic. He played mostly NT for the Hogs, but did move around at times and showed the ability to move well and be disruptive. Good motor, especially for a big man. He started 31 games so he’s got good experience. It is never a bad thing to load up on DL from the SEC.

Ball is more physical than Robinson, but not as athletic. Fangio’s defense relies on physical DL to control the line of scrimmage so he’s a good fit in that sense. I also think they will like the fact he can play any spot on the line.

6 – 197 – CB Andre Fuller – Toledo – 6-1, 200

Did someone say a CB from Toledo? Quinyon Mitchell would certainly approve of this pick. Fuller isn’t in his class, but is a legit NFL prospect. Nick Sirianni is close friends with Toledo coach Jason Candle so he gets the inside scoop on those guys. Fuller has solid size and runs pretty well (4.49). He was in college for 6 seasons and is 24 already, but that’s not as big a factor at this point in the draft. Fuller had 12 PDs and 1 INT as a senior, when he had a breakout season. Previously had played some safety. I’m sure the Eagles like that versatility. Fuller is one of the most physical CBs in the class.

I think Fangio and Sirianni would love his physicality and toughness. He might develop into a solid CB. At the least, he could be a STs demon. He can run, hit and tackle. There is always room on a roster for a guy like that.

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