The drama of A.J. Brown has been gone from the Philadelphia Eagles for over a month now, and the fan base is enjoying the peace and quiet.
For the last two years, there have been constant conversations about Brown being unhappy in Philly and when he would be traded, which finally happened last month in a trade with the New England Patriots for first- and fifth-round picks. Former Philadelphia 76ers star Charles Barkley appeared on NFL Network, where he was asked how the offense will look in 2026, and also talked about the impact of Brown no longer being on the Eagles.
"Well, A.J. Brown is a great wide receiver. I wish him nothing but the best up in New England. But there was too much tension. So I think, I don't know if they'll be as good offensively, 'cause they're counting on the young kid they just drafted. But it won't be as intense. And you guys know, when you start having that tension between players, especially in a city like Philadelphia, It's hard to play. Like I say, A.J. is a great wide receiver, but there was so much tension in that locker room. It'll just be freer for everybody. Will they be as good? I can't answer that question, but there'll be a lot less tension and freedom once the season starts in the locker room."
Charles Barkley thinks things will calm down without A.J. Brown in Philly
There might be some regression in the Eagles' offense in 2026 without Brown. He had over 5,000 yards receiving in four years, so that will be hard to replace.
The Eagles will try to have either rookie Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, or Marquise "Hollywood" Brown replace A.J. Brown. Lemon and Wicks appear to be the closest to doing that since they are younger and under contract with the Eagles for more than one year.
Not having A.J. Brown there in 2026 will be more important for the locker room, though, to avoid all the drama and baggage that come with him. His constant complaints, while mostly valid, caused a massive distraction for the team, to the point that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie had to step in and ask him to keep it out of the media late last season.
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Eagles fans are grateful for what Brown did over the last four years and for helping the franchise win a Super Bowl two seasons ago, but it was time to move on. Things might be bumpy on the field for a bit in 2026, but in the long-term, the Eagles are in a much better place mentally.
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