AJ Brown's days in Philadelphia are numbered after Eagles' surprise signing

It’s fair to wonder if the Dallas Cowboys have closed the gap on the Philadelphia Eagles during the first wave of free agency.

Truth be told, the gap wasn’t all that wide to begin with, as the teams split their season series last year, and Dallas has consistently played Philly tough in the Dak Prescott era, regardless of the talent gap. Then again, only one of them has made two Super Bowls in the last four years.

All that said, the Cowboys should absolutely threaten to dethrone the Eagles in the NFC East, and not having to face A.J. Brown twice a year would obviously help the cause.

Trade talks have been put on ice for now, but it still feels like a case of delaying the inevitable, especially after Philadelphia signed free agent wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million.

A.J. Brown moves one step closer to leaving NFC East after Eagles sign Marquise "Hollywood" Brown

Hollywood Brown obviously isn't a like-for-like replacement for Brown, but the Eagles don't have a lot of money to spend. Furthermore, DeVonta Smith is good enough to be a WR1, and Philly could find Brown's replacement in the NFL Draft, where they hold the No. 23 overall pick.

The general feeling in Philly is that A.J. Brown is a goner. That sentiment is echoed by Anthony Miller of Inside the Iggles, who had this to say after the Hollywood Brown move:

"Marquise Brown's arrival pretty much confirms what every Eagles fan has been working themselves up to expect: A.J. Brown is as good as gone. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when it will happen.

For the time being, the Eagles have held off on trading Brown and most likely will wait until after June 1. That's when the dead cap hit will be much less with Brown, and the team will save about $7 million against the cap."

Inject that into our veins.

Miller makes a salient point about why Brown hasn't been traded yet. If the Eagles were to deal the three-time Pro Bowler before June 1, they would inherit more than $40 million in dead money in 2026. If they wait until after June 1, the dead cap charge would shrink below $20 million for 2026.

The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams are the only reported teams to show interest in trading for Brown. It stands to reason they’ll continue applying pressure on Eagles general manager Howie Roseman until he’s comfortable moving the 28-year-old.

The Cowboys should be hoping that more AFC teams enter the race, as Brown landing on a Rams team that is all-in to win another Super Bowl before Matthew Stafford retires would not be ideal.

At the same time, anything is better than Brown remaining in Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts is a limited quarterback, and taking away his best weapon would only make life harder on an offense that was stuck in first gear for most of last season.