The Philadelphia Eagles opted not to trade wide receiver A.J. Brown at the 2025 NFL trade deadline despite speculation about his unhappiness with his role. General manager Howie Roseman emphasized Brown's value to the contending team during a Tuesday press conference. The Eagles, at 6-2, bolstered their roster with acquisitions like Jaelan Phillips while retaining their star pass-catcher.
The 2025 NFL trade deadline passed with several notable deals across the league, including the New York Jets sending cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, as well as Las Vegas Raiders wideout Jakobi Meyers heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, one prominent name that stayed put was Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, amid earlier rumors fueled by his reported dissatisfaction with his offensive role.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman addressed the speculation directly in a Tuesday press conference, underscoring the decision to hold onto Brown. "I think that when you're trying to be a great team, it's hard to trade great players, and A.J. Brown's a great player. He wears the 'C' for a reason. He's an important part of this team, of this organization. He cares about winning, he cares about his teammates, and I think that when you're a team like ours that is looking forward to an opportunity to compete for a championship, you just don't get rid of guys like that. We feel very lucky to have him on our team and excited about the second half of the season with him," Roseman said.
The Eagles, fresh off a bye week, acquired pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander to strengthen their roster. Brown missed the Week 8 win over the New York Giants due to a hamstring injury but had a standout performance in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, catching four passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns—his first multi-touchdown game since 2023. Jalen Hurts posted a perfect passer rating in that victory. Brown and teammate DeVonta Smith combined for 304 receiving yards and three touchdowns against the Vikings, marking the second-highest total in their four seasons together. The duo averaged 99.2 receiving yards per game over the first six weeks but showed signs of resurgence.
At 6-2, the defending Super Bowl champions appear poised to lead the NFC East once more, with Roseman's stance reinforcing their commitment to elite talent like Brown.