Eagles GM Howie Roseman Sheds Light on A.J. Brown Trade Compensation
The Philadelphia Eagles finally did it. After a long time with rumors swirling, they traded wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots.
The rumors went on for quite some time, and the Patriots were also considered the frontrunners to land Brown.
New England sent Philadelphia a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for Brown, and while some wonder if that was a good deal, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said he isn't worried about the compensation.
The 2027 NFL Draft class is expected to be loaded, so it makes sense why the Patriots didn't want to give up that first-rounder, but Roseman doesn't think it makes a big difference.
"For us to take a 2026 pick, and that's a late first-round pick, and obviously also have to deal with the cap consequences that come with making a trade prior to June 1, it made some sense for us to look at future picks," Roseman said, via Zach Berman The Athletic.
"We've always been in the mindset that a pick is a pick -- a first-round pick is a first-round pick. Doesn't matter. Teams are still going to be playing football in 2028."
Roseman knows the 2027 draft has all of the attention, but the opportunity to stack up two first-round choices in 2028 is also a positive move for the franchise.
"I think from our perspective, getting a first-round pick for our team, having two first-round picks in '28 is a huge, huge part of this move," the Eagles GM added.
The Eagles Trading Brown Was Inevitable
At some point, the Eagles were going to trade Brown, so acquiring a first-round pick of any kind is a solid move for the franchise.
The issues with Brown were evident during the season, and even though he had another 1,000-yard campaign, a trade seemed even more inevitable after Philadelphia traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select USC Trojans star WR Makai Lemon.
The Eagles also acquired Dontavyion Wicks in a trade with the Green Bay Packers and signed Elijah Moore and Hollywood brown, so they did plenty of work to broaden the WR room with the thought that Brown wouldn't be wearing an Eagles jersey in 2026.
At the end of the day, the Eagles move, Brown finds a new home in New England, and Roseman lands a pair of draft picks to begin a new chapter and end the drama-filled saga.
Related: Patriots, Eagles Grades For A.J. Brown Blockbuster Trade
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:28 PM.