Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown remained a focal point of media attention this past week in a way he's not always the focal point of Philly's offense through the first four weeks of the season.
Brown talked with reporters at his locker on Wednesday, took ownership for a cryptic social media post sent following the Eagles' Week 4 win over the Buccaneers, and added, "I don't think it's a bad thing for wanting the ball."
While Brown's frustration is noted, the Eagles' response will be, as well.
Expect quarterback Jalen Hurts to get him the ball early in Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos to further emphasize this fact: If Philly is going to make another Super Bowl run, it will need its top WR -- who also happens to be one of the NFL's best.
That's why when teams called in the offseason to inquire about trading for Brown, they were told, "No chance." It's also why any potential trade with the Nov. 4 deadline approaching is considered extremely unlikely, sources say.
By his lofty standards, Brown is having a down season. He's on pace for a career-low 10.8 yards per reception, with only 14 receptions for 151 yards through four games.
Brown, however, stated his desire to be more involved in the offense of late is not driven by stats or individual performance.
"It's not just for targets or anything, to put numbers up, no," Brown said on Wednesday. "I see that we're struggling, and I'm a guy that wants the ball in those times when we can't find a way. Give it to me. When the game's on the line, give the ball to me."
That's what happened in the Eagles' comeback win over the Rams in Week 3. Down, 26-7, Hurts was willing to throw 50-50 balls to Brown he wouldn't in previous games. Those passes resulted in completions to Brown and set up plays for other targets, such as a touchdown to tight end Dallas Goedertthat started the rally.
But in the win over the Bucs last week, Hurts played it safe in the second half to nurse a lead the Eagles were able to hold.
It's not the first time Brown's apparent frustrations in the Eagles' offense became a storyline. It happened in 2024, as well, prior to their Super Bowl run.
Brown was asked by reporters this week during his mea culpa session at his locker if he wanted to stay in Philly.
"Absolutely," said Brown, who sources say would garner a Micah Parsons-like package in a trade, anyway. "This is my home, you know? I did it to myself. But this is my home, man. I love it here. But you just see frustration because obviously we want to be great and most definitely I want to be great, as well."
Prior to the 2024 NFL Draft, Brown signed a second contract with Philly, worth $96 million over three seasons to make him the NFL's highest-paid WR at the time of the deal.
The defending Super Bowl champions have won 20 of 21 games and continue to focus on improvement. Their 4-0 record has been highly scrutinized, mostly because of the unevenness of their offense.
But with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo settling into his new role, and Brown missing a significant chunk of training camp with a hamstring injury, they have struggled to mesh. That said, the offense took some time to work last year, and that worked out OK.
Philly chalked up the frustration to competitive people trying to find ways to win, and that formula has helped them reach the Super Bowl twice in three seasons.
The Eagles firmly believe Brown will be a focal point if they are to reach a third.
