AJ Brown's Fate Sealed After Eagles' Big Draft Day Trade

The Philadelphia Eagles shocked many during the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

They traded up with the division rival Dallas Cowboys (which was a surprise in and of itself) and they selected a wide receiver most didn't think would be available outside of the top 15.

Philadelphia moved up from 23 to 20 and acquired a seventh-round pick while sending Dallas the 23rd pick, the 114th pick and the 137th pick, both of which are fourth-rounders.

The Eagles jumped three spots and pounced on USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, the reigning Biletnikoff award winner (best WR in college football).

Lemon, a 5-foot-11, 192-pound slot receiver who ran a 4.46 in the 40 at his pro day, is an explosive weapon. He's a strong route runner who creates plenty of separation and uses lots of misdirection to frustrate opposing defensive backs.

As the Eagles depth chart stands now, they have Lemon, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and Johnny Wilson.

The aggressive move up for Lemon, though, seemingly signals Brown's time with the Eagles is coming to an end. Philly has been shopping Brown for months, and the team is expected to move him after June 1 when their dead-cap charge drops significantly from $43.5 million to $16.4 million.

The New England Patriots are widely considered the favorite to acquire Brown given his history with head coach Mike Vrabel. The two spent years together with the Tennessee Titans, and some believe Vrabel is the only head coach that Brown might not be a headache for.

The last time the Eagles traded up with the Cowboys was back in 2021. That deal netted them Smith, who's recorded three 1,000-yard seasons and totaled 385 receptions, 5,019 yards, and 31 touchdowns in five seasons with the team.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 7:36 PM.