During his end-of-season press conference, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made one thing clear. Players like A.J. Brown are not found easily. When asked about trade talks, Roseman did not shut the door, but he made it obvious that elite wide receivers are rare. However, former Eagles star Isaiah “Ike” Reese believes that posture is not stubbornness; it is smart business.

“Right now, I think there is maybe a low market, but I think that’s just because teams think they have the Eagles over a barrel, thinking that they know the Eagles absolutely want to get rid of AJ, so why offer up the most you can to start off negotiations?” Reese said on Sports Radio 94WIP.

“And the Eagles certainly don’t want to present it as if A.J. isn’t coming back. They want everybody to know AJ is coming back; they want him back so that if you actually want him and you’re interested in him, you’re going to have to basically blow our doors away with a deal in order for me to even engage in this conversation. And that’s the perfect way for Howie to play this. He’s the best at this, so I won’t second-guess his strategy.”

Moreover, Reese sent a direct message to the rest of the league. He warned that no team should come in with bargain offers.

“He has to drum up enough of a market between bidders, because a fourth or fifth round, I’m not even answering my phone for that, for AJ Brown. You have to start at a second-round pick,” Reese said.

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Brown’s production backs up the stance. The three-time Pro Bowler remains the only Eagle with multiple 1,400-plus-yard seasons, the top two marks in franchise history. He delivered two 1,400-yard seasons and helped Philadelphia reach two Super Bowls in four years. Last season alone, he recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.

Still, frustration with the offense grew in 2025, and it was easily visible. In fact, a video surfaced in November where Brown called his situation a “s-it show.”

“It’s not just solely about my situation. I want to win, too,” Brown said in a different interview. “I think if we’re really focused on winning and doing our job, we can’t just keep slapping a Band-Aid over the defense doing their job and getting us out of trouble. At what point are we going to pick up our slack as an offense?”

Brown voiced his displeasure more than once before CEO Jeffrey Lurie asked him to scale back the public criticism. However, fans cannot deny the fact that the Eagles’ offensive line struggled with injuries throughout last season. The lack of a run game and being predictable were the root causes as well. That’s why Brown didn’t seem impressed with the offense after delivering a great season.

Now the front office must decide if Brown will fully align with quarterback Jalen Hurts moving forward. However, Roseman stands firm. If one of the other 31 teams wants him, they will have to pay for him.

Howie Roseman remains positive about A.J. Brown

The Eagles’ general manager, Howie Roseman, did not hesitate when asked about A.J. Brown’s future. He made his stance clear during his end-of-season news conference alongside Nick Sirianni.

“It is hard to find great players in the NFL, and A.J. is a great player,” Roseman said. “I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for when we go out here in free agency, in the draft, just trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy.”

Moreover, Roseman echoed that belief when trade rumors heated up near the deadline.

“I think that when you’re trying to be a great team, it’s hard to trade great players, and A.J. Brown is a great player,” Roseman said.

“He wears a ‘C’ for a reason; he’s an important part of this team, of this organization. He cares about winning, he cares about his teammates, and I think when you’re a team like ours that is looking forward to an opportunity to compete for a championship, you just don’t get rid of guys like that.”

However, money remains a big talking point. If the Eagles believe the partnership no longer works, a deal could happen. They would take on more than $40 million in dead cap with a trade before June 1, but that figure drops below $20 million after that date. Brown also carries a $23.4 million cap hit in 2026.

Meanwhile, any move would hurt at first, yet create future flexibility. That space could help lock up young pillars like Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. Still, the acquiring team would assume Brown’s $29 million salary in 2026 and roughly $4 million guaranteed in 2027, per the Roster Management System. So now the Eagles fans wait and watch.