With the critical June 1 deadline around the corner, the Jacksonville Jaguars have suddenly emerged as a surprise trade destination for A.J. Brown. Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom was the first to drop the scoop. Bleacher Report insider James Palmer later revealed that the Philadelphia Eagles have reached out to several teams to gauge the interest in the three-time Pro Bowl receiver.
Now, it doesn't make sense, at least on paper, for the Jags to acquire Brown. However, general manager James Gladstone has a track record of making a splash nobody saw coming. Thus, nobody would bat an eye if Jacksonville traded for the veteran receiver even though they're stacked at the position.
Which begs the question, what would get a deal done? Based on the exchange Palmer had on The Kay Adams Show, it probably won't be a first, but what if the Jaguars offered Brian Thomas Jr. and a Day 2 pick to sweeten the deal? Would that be fair? Let's take a look.
The Jaguars send Brian Thomas Jr. and a 3rd-round pick to the Eagles for A.J. Brown
Brian Thomas Jr. exploded as a rookie, hauling in 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns. However, he's coming off a season in which he dealt with inconsistency and drops. While the former LSU Tiger wasn't outright bad (48 catches, 707 yards, two touchdowns) he left much to be desired after an impressive 2024.
Although the Jags have stated that Thomas is part of their future, plans change, and he gives them a valuable trade chip, one that could come in handy if the team's brass wanted A.J. Brown.
Now, the Jaguars may not be willing to give up on Thomas, but Brown is a more accomplished receiver at this point in their respective careers, so he would definitely give the Jacksonville wide receiver corps a boost.
That said, Thomas alone may not be able to get a deal done, so the Jags could throw in a third. While losing a Day 2 selection stings, the Jags acquire three compensatory choices (fourth, fifth, and sixth) in 2027 after letting running back Travis Etienne, linebacker Devin Lloyd, and cornerback Greg Newsome leave in free agency.
Those three extra selections would soften the blow of including the third in a package to get Brown. Having said that, that may not be the biggest hurdle to pull off a trade.
The Jaguars would need to absorb A.J. Brown's contract
Aside from the trade compensation to land A.J. Brown, the Jaguars would need to eat up his salary, and that won't be a small feat. Back in 2024, he signed a three-year extension with the Eagles. If they cut ties with him, it would leave them with dead cap hits of $22 and $21.6 million in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
The good news for the Jags is that Philly will have paid nearly all the guarantees in Brown's contract. The downside is that he may want to get a raise wherever he lands, as he would count $10.9 million against the cap in 2026 and $17.8 million next year.
The issue with taking on those cap hits is that it would make it less likely for Jacksonville to re-sign wide receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange. They are entering contract years, and the team is engaged in negotiations to get extensions down with both of them.
Moreover, the Jaguars already have Washington, Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., and Jakobi Meyers in the mix. Brown would certainly make the group better, but wouldn't it make more sense to address a bigger need, let's say the pass rush and the interior offensive line?
When you add it all up, the Jaguars would be paying a premium to take care of a position that doesn't need reinforcements. With this in mind, this wouldn't be a good deal once you've taken everything into account.
Grade: D (and only because A.J. Brown is a star)
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