Eagles GM Howie Roseman on decision to keep A.J. Brown at deadline: 'Don't get rid of guys like that'

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Drama has followed the Eagles for nearly two years. Receiver A.J. Brown has often found himself at the center of the spectacle.

This reality led some to wonder whether Philadelphia might trade Brown elsewhere before Tuesday’s deadline. When the clock struck 4 p.m., Brown was still an Eagle.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman explained their decision to stand pat simply on Tuesday: Championship contenders don’t trade away elite players.

“I think that when you’re trying to be a great team, it’s hard to trade great players, and A.J. Brown is a great player,” Roseman said of Brown, via ESPN. “He wears a ‘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 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.”

Brown has played an essential role in the Eagles’ rise to perennial title contention, logging three straight 1,000-plus yard seasons that were nothing short of statistically gaudy since Philadelphia acquired him in a blockbuster deal with Tennessee in 2022. But if ever there was a year in which the Eagles might consider parting with their star receiver and team captain, it was 2025, a campaign in which Brown is averaging a career-worst 56.4 receiving yards per game and has expressed frustration with his role on multiple occasions.

Two straight wins for the 6-2 Eagles have quieted the drama somewhat but haven’t silenced the murmurs of tension between Brown and the coaching staff. With elite talent carrying a premium price, most everyone understood it would take a massive offer to pry Brown from the defending champions.

Ultimately, no team was interested in sliding such a proposal across Roseman’s desk.

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Widely considered to be one of the best general managers in football, Roseman wasn’t going to accept anything less than a titanic offer for Brown. He also understands Brown’s important role in Philadelphia’s pursuit of a title defense and has acted accordingly when addressing other parts of the roster, swinging deals for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and corners Jaire Alexander and Michael Carter II in the last week.

Roseman clearly isn’t afraid of picking up the phone. He also understands when is the time to strike on a title window.

That window remains propped open in part because Brown is still on the Eagles’ roster.

“I feel very lucky to have him on our team and excited about the second half of the season with him,” Roseman said.

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