The early speculation surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles’ approach to the 2026 offseason is about half and half.
That is, half of it’s based in fantasy land, and half is grounded in real life.
The early mock draft data points to general manager Howie Roseman either prioritizing a replacement for tight end Dallas Goedert at pick No. 23 overall, or an offensive tackle for the future to start developing behind Lane Johnson.
If Roseman breaks from his recent form and uses a first-round pick on offense for the first time since 2021, a chain-moving tight end like Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, or a potential tackle for the future like Alabama’s Kaydyn Proctor or Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, makes a lot of sense. Those might be the most realistic outcomes, other than going back to the well for an impact defender.
The fantasy ideas are those centered on hypothetical A.J. Brown trades, creating a need for Roseman to take a potential early-round dart throw at wide receiver to replace him.
Blake Brockermeyer’s latest for CBS Sports focused on the latter, with Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch slotted to Philly with the 23rd overall pick. It’s not his first time mocking Branch to the Eagles, either.
But there are multiple issues with this prediction, with Brown’s future with the team at the top of the list.
Eagles fans shouldn’t fall for latest A.J. Brown trade buzz
It’s definitely possible that the Eagles could draft a wide receiver with one of their four projected picks inside the top 100. They’ve been seeking an upgrade at WR3 behind Brown and DeVonta Smith for years, and drafting a shifty player like Branch who could help right away as a returner on special teams would fill a clear need.
But Brockermeyer added a degree of urgency in his latest mock, tying the Branch selection to Brown’s pending departure.
“It feels like A.J. Brown could be on the move,” he wrote, “and Branch can replace some of that production as a No. 2 receiver.”
Eagles fans obviously aren’t surprised by more Brown trade chatter, but it’s only being met with eye-rolls at this point. It doesn’t make sense for Roseman to move Brown this offseason, both from a roster and salary cap standpoint.
Trading Brown prior to the draft, without a post-June 1 designation, would force the Eagles to eat an accelerated $49 million salary cap hit this year, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Philadelphia isn’t exactly swimming in 2026 cap space. The relationship between the team and the player would have to deteriorate drastically for that to become a real consideration.
If the trade is made after that June 1 cutoff, the Eagles would still have to eat $22 million on their cap for Brown this year, with another charge of $21.6 million in 2027. Unless we’re talking about a mega blockbuster like Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby, the timing just doesn’t feel right here.
The other issue with Brockermeyer’s mock is that Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell is still on the board. The Eagles’ edge depth has been an ongoing concern, and led to Brandon Graham coming out of retirement in 2025. Howell would fill a key need, and he makes a lot more sense at No. 23 overall than another smallish wide receiver.
Read more: Emerging Eagles draft pick could be counting down his final days in Philly
Really, this all comes back to Brown. The Eagles should be continuing to add pieces around Brown, Smith, and Saquon Barkley this offseason with eyes on another Super Bowl run. This isn’t the time to blow it up, and fans definitely shouldn’t be falling for all the fantasy fodder.