Adding a top-tier wide receiver is surely going to be on the San Francisco 49ers‘ to-do list in 2026.
Brandon Aiyuk’s relationship with the 49ers has deteriorated to the point that his 2026 guarantees were voided, so he’ll surely be gone next year. Beyond that, the 49ers’ depth at WR — more on that later — comes with a ton of question marks.
Meanwhile, over in Philadelphia, All-Pro wideout A.J. Brown has publicly expressed frustration with his usage in the Eagles’ offense and his role in the team’s passing game, contributing to questions about his long-term fit. While Brown did not explicitly demand a trade, some of the league’s top insiders think that’s coming.
With trade rumors heating up already, should the 49ers make a play for Brown in 2026? Let’s discuss.
San Francisco 49ers Named Trade Fit for Eagles WR A.J. Brown
GettyThe San Francisco 49ers could try to trade for Eagles WR A.J. Brown in 2026.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles are likely going to entertain trading Brown in the offseason.
“The weekly concerns about Brown’s messaging — from sonnets to sound bites — must be taxing on Philadelphia’s locker room, even if players understand the receiver’s frustration due to the limitations of the Eagles’ passing attack,” Fowler wrote on December 17. “Several executives I spoke to believe the Eagles could look to move Brown, who is 28 and still has prime years left. … it seems that Brown would welcome a new passing game at this point.”
He might really welcome playing in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari pegged the Niners as a top trade partner if Brown does go on the block.
“Given his body of work and the fact that he is still in his prime at 28 years of age, Brown would undoubtedly generate a ton of interest on the trade market if the Eagles make him available,” Chiari wrote on December 17.
“Several teams in the playoff mix this season could use an alpha receiver like Brown moving forward, including the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. … The team that acquires Brown would be taking on a two-year contract worth about $50 million in total, which isn’t an exorbitant price to pay for a wideout of his caliber.”
49ers WR Depth Is Shaky Heading Into 2026
San Francisco’s wideouts slated to be under contract next year include Ricky Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson, both slated to be on the books into the 2026 season. Neither Pearsall, a 2023 first-round pick, nor the vet Robinson have not shown consistent top-tier production. Younger receivers like Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins also project to be part of the receiving corps, but neither has yet established themselves as a true WR1.
Jauan Jennings is expected to be a free agent in 2026 unless re-signed, and Kendrick Bourne, another veteran presence, is also slated for free agency.
Brown is better than the lot by a long shot. Perhaps a trade that included a player like Cowing and a future high draft pick would do it.
The Eagles WR had 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022, followed by 106 catches for 1,456 yards and seven TDs in 2023. He hauled in 67 passes for 1,079 yards and seven scores in 13 games in 2024, netting his third straight 1,000-yard campaign.
He has 64 catches for 840 yards and seven touchdowns through 13 games in 2025, already nearing his fourth in a row.
There’s always a risk when it comes to adding a player who has left his previous team in part because he continues to express dissatisfaction with how that team operates. The Eagles are fresh from winning a Super Bowl, and have been by all accounts a successful franchise during Brown’s tenure there. But it’s possible he just needs a change of scenery. His $96 million deal has an out in 2027, so it would be a short-term risk.
Would he be happier in the Bay Area? Who knows? But it’s a risk Shanahan and company might be willing to take.
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