Everyone knew months ago that A.J. Brown was no longer with the Philadelphia Eagles, but when the trade to the New England Patriots finally went through, many suspected what had happened but weren't 100% sure of the whole story.
ESPN NFL insiders, including Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus, shared more details about what led up to the trade. Sources told them that it all came down to the quarterback, Jalen Hurts.
"A good bit of his angst stemmed from the play of Hurts, league sources said, in part because of Hurts' perceived reluctance to target Brown on tight-window throws against zone coverage."
Frustration about Jalen Hurts played a role in A.J. Brown being traded
Once it was clear that Brown couldn't work through those frustrations, the Eagles knew they had to make a trade. Philly and New England were both serious by March and April, and they wanted to make a deal with each other, but did not have the details done. The Eagles wanted a first-round pick and another significant pick, but sources made it clear to ESPN's insiders that it was not two first-round picks.
It comes as no surprise that Hurts played a role in the trade, as Brown was to be the clear-cut number one guy with big stats to show off. Hurts is more of the type who wants to protect the football and spread the ball out without worrying about forcing passes to one receiver.
Hurts will have that now with a deep wide receiver room in DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore. There are no more concerns about A.J. Brown complaining in public about not getting the football, as Hurts can just focus on running the offense he wants to.
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This isn't really anything new about the trade, as this information has been public for months. Hurts and Brown needed a separation, and they got it so both parties can move on with their lives.
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