The Philadelphia Eagles are staring down another loud offseason plot twist. A.J. Brown, the engine of the Eagles’ passing game, is suddenly wrapped in trade noise that will not die. Now, according to Dianna Russini, the mood did not turn overnight.

Speaking on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Russini framed what now feels like a final decision for the Eagles front office.

“They’re not going to waste their time,” Russini said. “They can’t go through what they just did again. This team has to revamp how they approach this season. And they’re not moving on from Jalen Hurts, right? So you’re picking AJ Brown, or you’re picking Jalen Hurts. Who are you picking? You’re picking the quarterback. That’s just how it works. Plus, the owner loves them. And he also is the Super Bowl MVP.”

Then, Russini laid it out plainly while hinting that Philly’s patience may already be thinning.

“He [A.J. Brown] is not happy,” Russini said. “He was not happy going back to last year. Right. But it’s different. They won the Super Bowl; that kind of masks all the problems. So here we are this year. And, I think it’s going to be up to him. I think the bottom line [is] Philadelphia is not stupid.”

Earlier signs were already there. During the 2024 season, defensive end Brandon Graham hinted at a strain between Brown and Hurts on WIP.

“I don’t know the whole story, but I know that 1 [Hurts] is trying,” Graham said. “11 [Brown] could be a little better with how he responds to things. They were friends, but things have changed, and I understand that because life happens. But the business side, we got to make sure we don’t let the personal get in the way of the business.”

That came after a win over the Panthers, where the air game stalled, and Brown summed it up with one word. “Passing.”

Still, winning covered a lot. Ultimately, whatever existed did not stop a title run. Yet in 2025, cracks showed again. After a rough night in Cigar City against the Bucs, Brown posted a cryptic Bible verse and deleted it. The message was a quote from Mark 6:11: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way”.

It reflected his frustration over the limited involvement in the offense, despite the team’s success. Later, he clarified that the message wasn’t directed at anyone specific, but was a reflection of his own feelings after being sidelined, as he wanted to contribute more.

Then Philly Voice reported a long, positive meeting with Hurts and Saquon Barkley. While Hurts and Barkley confirmed it, Brown continued to deny.

Later, the Wild Card loss to the Niners added another layer. After a key drop, Brown lingered on the field and then clashed with Nick Sirianni on the sideline. After the game, he hugged teammates and left without talking, just as he had for months.

Individually, none of this screams disaster. However, stack it together with a down year and joyless body language, and it’s a different story. So it seems Philadelphia has already made its choice, and it starts with Jalen Hurts. But what’s next for him?

NFL execs make trade predictions on A.J. Brown

The 2025 season tested A.J. Brown in ways Philly had not seen in years. Even with over 1,000 yards, the production dipped hard. He averaged 5.2 receptions per game and 66.9 yards, numbers shaped by a shifting Eagles offense and a bigger role for Dallas Goedert.

Yet through it all, Brown stayed professional and helped Eagles Nation enjoy another deep playoff push. Even so, whispers grew louder about whether this chapter might be nearing its end. So naturally, the league has already started connecting dots.

“I think Buffalo should be interested,” Cowherd said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast, while laying out the fit.

Dianna Russini echoed it moments later.

“I think for A.J. Brown, I can easily see Buffalo showing interest,” she said, before widening the lens even more. “I could see Kansas City showing interest. Imagine him with Patrick Mahomes.”

Those ideas alone were enough to spark debates across Bills Mafia and Chiefdom. However, the Bills might need Brown more than the Chiefs.

Buffalo is again out of their Super Bowl race, and many are pointing fingers at the wide receiver room. Many will argue Josh Allen’s prime is slipping by without a true target, and that complaint is not wrong. The catch, of course, is money, with Buffalo already upside-down against the 2026 cap.

Still, that need keeps flashing red. According to an NFL evaluator, Buffalo has a real problem at wideout. Keon Coleman did not become the Diggs replacement the front office imagined. Injuries played a part, but the end-of-year receiver play was simply not good enough for a contender. This issue existed before 2025, which makes a bold move for Brown, something the Bills should seriously weigh.