Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown is expected to be traded at some point this offseason. There has been speculation that the wide receiver could wind up with the New England Patriots. And that makes sense, knowing that Drake Maye and Brown would be an exciting quarterback-receiver duo on a Super Bowl contender. But what about the Indianapolis Colts?
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote an article about teams (other than the Patriots) that should trade for Brown. He listed the Colts as one of those five teams:
“The Indianapolis Colts have made it pretty clear that they believe they can win now. They traded for Sauce Gardner at last year’s trade deadline and signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million deal this offseason. Trading for Brown could help the Colts win now—or, at least as soon as Jones is fully recovered from a torn Achilles. It would also make a good amount of sense. The fact that the Eagles may be willing to accept a 2028 draft pick is very relevant. Indy owes its 2027 first-rounder to the New York Jets as part of the Gardner trade.”
Will Indy become A.J. Brown’s next home?
Colts Listed as a Possible Landing Spot for A.J. Brown
Looking Back at His Career
A.J. Brown played college football at Ole Miss. He was named First Team All-SEC during his four-year career with the Rebels. In his final season, he caught 85 passes for 1,320 yards and six touchdowns.
The Tennessee Titans later drafted Brown in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he helped the Titans reach the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brown finished his rookie season with 52 receptions, 1,051 receiving yards (leading all NFL rookies), and eight receiving touchdowns. As a result, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
The following year, Brown caught 70 passes for 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns, and was voted to his first Pro Bowl appearance. He also helped the Titans make the playoffs, as they lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.
Brown was traded to the Eagles in 2022. He recorded 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first year in Philly. He helped quarterback Jalen Hurts and Co. reach Super Bowl LVII, where they lost 38-35 to the Chiefs.
During the 2024 season, Brown and the Eagles got their revenge against the Chiefs. This time around, they defeated Kansas City 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Brown had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in the game.
Last season, A.J. Brown and the Eagles lost to the San Francisco 49ers 23-19 in the Wild Card round. However, Brown had his worst year as a pro since 2021 as he caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards.
Should the Colts Trade for A.J. Brown?
The Colts re-signed wide receiver Alec Pierce to a four-year, 114 million contract. Last season, he tallied a career-best 47 receptions for 1,003 yards (his first 1,000-yard campaign) along with six touchdown receptions. Plus, he has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons.
However, the Colts also traded fellow wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., one of the team’s top playmakers, to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A.J. Brown could be an excellent replacement for Pittman as he serves as a much-needed physical, possession receiver.
Plus, Brown is familiar with Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen’s offense. Steichen was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator during Brown’s first season in Philadelphia.
Quarterback Daniel Jones will return to Indianapolis for the 2026 season after suffering an Achilles injury last year. He’ll need as much help as he can get to return to the MVP candidate that he was during thr first part of last season.
Brown, Pierce, Josh Downs, and tight end Tyler Warren would be a dynamic pass-catching crew that could certainly make life easier for Jones next season. Add in Jonathan Taylor, easily one of the league’s best running backs, to the mix, and Indianapolis could have an explosive offense in 2026. Yes, the Colts should trade for A.J. Brown if they get the chance.
