The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing for the Wild Card matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Baker Mayfield and company are not the only major obstacles standing between this team and the Super Bowl. Superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown has been notably frustrated with the team this year and has deleted all Eagles-related posts from his Instagram and deactivated his Twitter account.
AJ Brown has deleted all football/#Eagles related posts from his Instagram. pic.twitter.com/P5ZIdT4Zla
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) January 12, 2024
In today’s modern age, deleting one’s social media profile is one of the fastest ways for an athlete to tell their organization that they are done with the status quo. Frankly, it’s easy to see why he’s upset. After coming one or two snaps away from winning the Super Bowl last year, the Eagles lost both of their coordinators to head coaching positions, and the team has not looked the same in 2023. The offense is one of the most predictable in the league, and the Eagles have collapsed in the second half of the season.
So, if A.J. Brown is as frustrated with the Eagles as his Instagram suggests, could this be the end of the road? Will Brown face off against the Buccaneers on Monday, and will he be back in 2024?
A.J. Brown Removes All Eagles Posts on Instagram, Is the End Near?
The Immediate Future
The biggest question in the minds of every Eagles fan should be whether or not Brown will suit up for Monday’s playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Instagram post is a bad sign, it’s hard to imagine any world where Brown doesn’t suit up. At the end of the day, it’s the playoffs and if Brown played through the regular season, then he’s going to keep playing through this.
However, there is a genuine chance that Brown’s presence won’t matter. After a 10-1 start to the season, the Eagles collapsed down the stretch to finish with an 11-6 record while losing control of the NFC South. The team finished the campaign by losing a must-win game to a terrible Giants team, and that was with Brown in the lineup. Now, the team is in a terrible slump, Jalen Hurts has an injured throwing finger, and the Eagles might go one-and-done in the playoffs.
If that happens, then Philadelphia will have some tough decisions to make. Brown’s Instagram frustrations stem from the team not playing up to their potential, and having a team leader this frustrated makes for a terrible locker room environment. Basically, the Eagles will have two choices: either part ways with head coach Nick Sirianni or with A.J. Brown
Could A.J. Brown’s Instagram Lead To A Trade?
Chances are, the Eagles will choose Brown over Sirianni. Even if the wide receiver wasn’t causing so much turmoil, this could still be it for Philadelphia’s head coach. At the end of the day, Howie Roseman did a phenomenal job adding talent to this roster, and it’s Sirianni’s fault for not getting the most out of his players, and for not having adequate succession plans for both of his departed coordinators.
That being said, NFL teams do weird things all the time, and there is a chance Roseman chooses his coach over his wide receiver. In that scenario, the Eagles could probably get a king’s ransom for A.J. Brown. Instagram drama or not, Brown is one of the 10 best receivers in football, and his presence alone can elevate an entire offense. Philadelphia already has DeVonta Smith and can save $1.87 million in cap space by designating him a post-June 1st trade. Every single team in the league would line up for his services, but these five make the most sense.
A.J. Brown Trade Destinations
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs need to find their next great weapon at some point in the upcoming offseason. The offense just wasn’t the same with Travis Kelce slowing down, and even though Rashee Rice looks promising, he’s no A.J. Brown. We already know that Patrick Mahomes is nearly unstoppable with an elite receiver, and it’s about time he got a new one to play with.
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen led one of the best passing offenses in the league, and he did it without much help. Stefon Diggs is not getting any younger, and while rookie Dalton Kincaid has shown some flashes, this team needs an established star. Gabriel Davis is an impending free agent, so this team needs some help at wide receiver in the worst way. If this trade happens, Brown should be happily adding red and blue to his Instagram.
Baltimore Ravens
For the past few seasons, the biggest issue with the Baltimore Ravens was the lack of talent at wide receiver. Now that they added Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham, they’re the top seed in the AFC, and Lamar Jackson is playing like an All-Pro. Beckham is a free agent, but the Ravens have the resources to pull off an A.J. Brown trade. Combining him with Flowers and tight end Mark Andrews will create one of the best trios in football and should keep the Ravens as Super Bowl favorites for years to come.
Carolina Panthers
Tbe Carolina Panthers desperately need Bryce Young to be good. The team mortgaged their future for the Alabama product, and now they need to do it again if they want to give him the tools to succeed. A.J. Brown helped turn Jalen Hurts into an MVP candidate, so maybe he can do the same for Young.
New England Patriots
Back in 2019, the New England Patriots selected N’Keal Harry over A.J. Brown. That proved to be one of the biggest mistakes of the late Belichick years, and now it’s time for Jerod Mayo to atone for those errors. The Patriots will have a new quarterback next year, and he’ll need better playmakers than Juju Smith-Schuster to survive in the NFL.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
