The Philadelphia Eagles have a passing offense problem. Although the Eagles are 4-0, including wins over the Chiefs, Rams, and Buccaneers, their offense seems stuck in the mud. Philadelphia ranks 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game, ahead of only the Titans, who are starting a rookie quarterback. Though their rushing attack is better, Philadelphia still ranks just 30th in the league in total offense, ahead of the Titans and Bengals.
The Eagles have two highly-paid wide receivers who aren’t seeing the ball, and frustration is beginning to mount. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combine to make $57 million per year and both rank in the top 15 highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. Neither has been very productive through four games this season â Brown has 14 catches for 151 yards while Smith has 17 receptions for 158 yards.
Per NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, that lack of production is creating a mounting sense of frustration for the star receivers. Brown has gone public with his issues while Smith is staying quiet, but neither are happy with the current state of the offense. It remains to be seen if they or the team will act on these feelings, but it’s worth noting as the trade deadline approaches.
The elephant in the room is that the Eagles are undefeated and have just one loss in their last 21 games. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, as the old adage says, and when Philadelphia was down big in the second half to the Rams and needed to start passing more, they did so quite effectively. That was Brown’s best half of the season, and it stands to reason that if they need to do so again, they could.
The Relationship Between Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown and QB Jalen Hurts is Deteriorating
Mitchell Leff/GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 16: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on against the Cleveland Browns in the second half of the NFL Preseason 2025 game at Lincoln Financial Field on August 16, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cleveland Browns defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 22-13. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Russini details the history Brown and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts have and how close they were in the past. They’ve known each other and been friends since high school, remained so in college despite playing on rival SEC teams, and reunited in Philadelphia when Brown was traded from the Titans a few years ago. Hurts is the godfather to Brown’s daughter, and a former teammate called them “an old married couple.”
But Russini says she’d been told they aren’t that close anymore, as life, family, and the grind of the NFL lifestyle has had them drift apart. That happens to all of us as we get older, but for Brown and Hurts, it might start to matter a lot. Their closeness likely would have kept Brown in the fold even if he had frustrations with his usage, especially if the team was winning. Now, that might not be true anymore.
Smith has his own history with Hurts, being former teammates in college at Alabama before reuniting in the NFL. Russini emphasized that Smith is more reserved with his frustrations than Brown, but he reportedly feels similarly.
Would the Philadelphia Eagles Consider Trading One of Their Star Receivers?
That’s the big question. And the answer seems to be probably not, but maybe? They’re paying these guys a lot of money, and they just aren’t that involved. The Eagles have struggled to find a competent third receiver behind Brown and Smith, so that has to matter as well. But Philadelphia may prefer to invest in other areas of the roster, especially as they have extension-eligible players on their rookie contracts that they’ll need to start paying.
However, Russini’s sources believe a trade, while possible, is unlikely. It’s barely the start of October and the NFL season is long. The Eagles will need these guys and they’ll integrate them better as the offense gets comfortable. For now, there’s nothing for Eagles fans â or brass â to worry about just yet.
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