Although it was clear that the relationship had run its course, the trade of receiver A.J. Brown requires the Eagles to manage their passing game without him.
G.M. Howie Roseman knows it will be a challenge.
“A.J. Brown was a huge, huge part of our football team, a great player for us, and that loss will have to be picked up by more than just one player,” Roseman told a group of reporters on Monday, via Zach Berman of The Athletic.
The Eagles believe that DeVonta Smith could step easily into the No. 1 role. Smith, as Roseman also said, is “really, really, really good player, and [I’m] excited for him to continue to improve and shine as a player.”
The Eagles also spent much of the offseason adding receivers to the mix. They signed Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore. They traded for Dontayvion Wicks, who knows the new offense. They drafted Makai Lemon in the first round.
The Eagles have the quantity. The issue is replacing the quality that they had with Brown.
But there’s also a projection to be made. After seven years of NFL wear and tear, the soon-to-be-29-year-old Brown could be moving toward the end of his prime. Beyond needing to trade Brown because Brown no longer wanted to be there, it’s unclear how much longer Brown would have continued to be the player he had been in his four seasons with the Eagles.
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