A.J. is a Mainstay

A special delivery was en route to Philadelphia during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After taking Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis with the 13th overall pick, the Eagles were on the clock again with the 18th selection. With the timer running out, they decided to trade the pick and what transpired after sent football fans into a frenzy. The Tennessee Titans vaulted up into the slot and within a minute, it was revealed that wide receiver A.J. Brown was coming to Philadelphia in exchange for the pick. The Eagles needed a solid second wide receiver to pair with Devonta Smith and what they got was a perennial pro-bowler for the foreseeable future.

Immediately following the swap, Brown signed a 4-year, $100 million deal with the team. The signing locks him in as a cornerstone of the offense along with Smith and gives quarterback Jalen Hurts another weapon to play with. Brown and Hurts already have a special connection, as Brown referred to him as his best friend after arriving in Philadelphia on Monday. When a receiver and a quarterback have chemistry off the field, it is a good sign of things to come on the field. It is even better when factoring in that he will be 25 in June, meaning you get a receiver at the absolute peak of his career for the duration of the contract. There is some potential downside to acquiring the superstar wide receiver, however.

Brown’s career numbers are eye-popping at first glance. Over his first three seasons, he has amassed nearly 3,000 yards and 26 total touchdowns with an average of 16.2 yards per reception. The issue has never been about his production, but the concerns center on his health. He does not have any serious injuries but some small ones that kept him out of action the past two seasons. In 2020, he injured both of his knees and missed two games, undergoing surgery in January of 2021. During the 2021 season, he missed a month of action with a chest injury. Now in Philadelphia, he needs to stay on the field to provide that added dimension to a passing offense that was ranked in the middle of the pack last season.

Music City Muscle, But Philadelphia Soul

Making the transition from a smaller football market to a big city is a huge jump for any player, but Brown is well equipped to handle it. Establishing a rapport with any signal caller is key, but the biggest hurdle is endearing yourself to the Philadelphia faithful. The only way for a player to earn the good graces of the fans is to give it their all and given Brown’s track record, it seems like a fairly easy task. He does not come with the baggage and poor effort of Ben Simmons or Dorial Green-Beckham, so the standards will be higher and understandably so. Brown was humming in the Music City and now he has a chance to play a similar tune in the City of Brotherly Love.