Few players have made an impact as quickly and as thoroughly as A.J. Brown has with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Since arriving in a blockbuster trade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022, Brown has 286 catches for 4,305 yards and 26 touchdowns.
He was named a second-team All-Pro twice, and was also a huge part of the the Eagles Super Bowl-winning squad last year. But his time in Philly hasn’t been without some significant drama.
He had a viral sideline spat with quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2023, and got loads of attention over a year later, when he made a cryptic post on social media after Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory. This season, he made headlines again with yet another cryptic social media post — one he later clarified was rooted in frustration and not based on a desire to be traded.
But with his recent antics coming at a time when the Eagles just dropped two games in a row, the trade chatter is becoming louder by the minute — and Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports came up with a trade proposal that would swap Brown for a promising deep threat and an ascending edge.
Philadelphia Eagles Trade Proposal Swaps A.J. Brown for Alec Pierce, Kwity Paye
GettyA new trade proposal swaps Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown for Alec Pierce, Kwity Paye and a draft pick.
In his proposal, the Eagles would send Brown to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for wide receiver Alec Pierce, edge rusher Kwity Paye and a 2026 third-round pick.
“The Colts are suddenly legitimate playoff hopefuls atop the AFC South at 5-1. Now might be their time to strike for added weaponry in search of a surprise run,” Benjamin wrote on October 13.
“And head coach Shane Steichen worked directly with Brown during his star-studded 2022 Eagles debut. Pierce is more of a secondary receiver than bona fide No. 1, but his size (6-foot-3, 211 pounds) and field-stretching speed could help alleviate Brown’s relocation. Paye, meanwhile, is a former first-round pass rusher who reportedly drew Brandon Graham comparisons from the Eagles coming out of Michigan in 2021.”
A deeper look at the proposed players shows why the trade is intriguing — but probably still insufficient.
A Look at What Alec Pierce & Kwity Paye Could Bring to Philly
Pierce’s best season came last year, when he started all 17 games, hauling in 53 passes for 824 yards and seven touchdowns while staying healthy the entire season.
The 25-year-old wideout is off to another solid start in 2025 with 219 yards through six games, averaging 19.9 yards per catch. He led the NFL in yards per catch last season (22.3), so he remains one of the NFL’s best deep threats.
Paye’s best year so far came in 2023, when he had 8.5 sacks, 16 QB hits and four tackles for loss in 15 games. He had another 8.0 sack campaign in 2024. Both players would bring legitimate value to Philadelphia’s roster — Pierce as an explosive WR2 and Paye as a sorely-needed edge — but it’s fair to suggest neither would offset the loss of Brown’s production.
That said, if Brown continues to stir up unnecessary drama, a trade is definitely possible — but very likely would go down after the 2025 season.
The Real Prohibitive Issue Is Brown’s Contract
The reality is that Brown’s contract is going to massively complicate any trade situation. The three-year, $96 million extension he signed in April of 2024 — including $84 million guaranteed — runs through 2029.
His 2025 cap hit is at $17.5 million, and trading him would leave the Eagles with tens of millions in dead money — we’re talking over $50 million. Plus, who’s to say another contending team would want to deal with the same vague and perplexing social media posts and antics Brown tends to bring?
When you factor in Brown’s contract, production and role in Philadelphia’s offense, the smart money says he’s not going anywhere. If the Eagles were to trade him, getting players like Pierce and Paye in return would be essential — but it could ultimately prove too costly for Philadelphia.
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