When it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles, this franchise always gets more attention than the others, as every move they make is magnified by 1000.
Free agency was kind of a quiet period for the Eagles, as it took them a few days before signing cornerback Riq Woolen, which is looking like a great move so far. Outside of that, the trades they made were the most impactful to talk about.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman traded for quarterback Andy Dalton, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, and Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, while also trading away safety Sydney Brown and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Roseman made a lot of signings and trades, but one move was way overhyped for the kind of impact it will truly have in 2026.
A.J. Brown's trade should be considered the most overhyped move of the offseason
Let's take a moment to really examine this trade. Everything about this trade from the Eagles' and New England Patriots' sides was blown out of proportion.
First off, the Eagles got a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick as part of the Brown trade. While it's great that Roseman got draft picks, that fifth-round pick won't mean much, and the 2028 first-rounder will most likely be a late-round selection since the Patriots will probably be a good team.
On the Patriots' side, they lost two valuable picks since they have been big spenders in free agency over the last few years. They are also getting a wide receiver who appears to be physically declining, and if anyone upsets him, he will start to take plays off.
In the short term, the Patriots have gotten better as a team since Brown is instantly the number one receiver in the offense and should get targets. The good times aren't going to last long, though, as Eagles fans know from experience, as things started going south in his third year on the team, and that was the season they won the Super Bowl.
Philly takes a hit for 2026, but is set up somewhat better for the future, as long as rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon plays well and Wicks can be a suitable replacement for Brown. There is also the factor that DeVonta Smith should be able to take over as WR1 for the Eagles.
Read more: 3 tiresome Eagles storylines that need to stop being talked about now
This trade was the NFL's worst-kept secret, and most fans were just glad that it was over. Sure, there are different elements to this trade that make it good for both sides, but it really wasn't as great on paper for either team as some think.
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