A.J. Brown is in Massachusetts after the Philadelphia Eagles finally made the move everyone thought they would eventually do over the last two years.
Philly traded Brown to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick. Many wonder whether the Eagles got enough from the Brown trade, as they will have to wait until the 2028 draft to see those two first-round picks.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman spoke with the media, where he talked about the draft picks acquired, as he made a strong point about getting them no matter what year it was.
“For us to take a 2026 pick, and that’s a late first-round pick, and obviously also have to deal with the cap consequences that come with making a trade prior to June 1, it made some sense for us to look at future picks,” Roseman said via The Athletic's Zach Berman. “We’ve always been in the mindset a pick is a pick — a first-round pick is a first-round pick. Doesn’t matter. Teams are still going to be playing football in 2028."
Howie Roseman is just happy to have draft picks from the A.J. Brown trade
The most important aspect of the trade was ensuring the Eagles received at least one first-round pick. While many Eagles fans would have preferred it as a 2027 draft pick instead of a 2028 pick, they will take a first-rounder wherever they can get it.
Ultimately, there's a decent chance Roseman doesn't even end up using that draft pick at all, as he could trade it away. The Eagles now have leverage heading into the 2028 offseason, where their lowest draft pick could be used in a trade to get a better player or to move up in the draft.
For Roseman, having that kind of ammunition in the chamber for the future is huge for the Eagles.
“I think from our perspective, getting a first-round pick for our team, having two first-round picks in ‘28 is a huge, huge part of this move," Roseman said. "I think that when you look at that and obviously the options of what you’re able to do with having multiple first-round picks, it’s a huge game-changer, and feel very, very confident that those picks are the most valuable things that you can add as you’re building your team. I know there’s a lot of attention on the 2027 draft, but at the same time, looking at the ‘28 draft, I feel confident that that’s going to be a good draft as well, and that we’ll be in position to really improve our football team.”
Even though more attention is on the first-rounder, some credit has to be given to Roseman for finding another draft pick in the process. That fifth-round pick next year could come in handy if the Eagles want to move up in the fourth round to get a player they want.
Read more: Howie Roseman told it like it is on why Eagles traded A.J. Brown away
One thing Eagles fans know so well about Roseman is how good he is at working draft picks to his advantage. The fact that the Patriots gave him two to work with over the next two years just goes to show that he is about to use them to really make the NFL pay.
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