Welcome to The Aftermath, a series where we look back on old trades and see how they affected teams involved, years later. For Part 3, we will take a look into the Eagles and Titans draft day trade that sent AJ Brown to Philly.
The Trade
PHI Receives: WR AJ Brown
TEN Receives: 2022 Pick 18, 2022 Pick 101
The Reason
A big trend in the 2021 offseason was receivers getting contract extensions. Naturally, 2 WRs - AJ Brown and Deebo Samuel - believed they deserved their own as well (which they did). However, tension between the wideouts and their team grew as they were unable to agree on an exact number, so they began to hold out. And while Samuel and the 9ers eventually reached a deal, Titans GM Jon Robinson (since fired, obviously) was unwilling to budge, and chose to trade their star instead.
As for the Eagles, they needed a new weapon for quarterback Jalen Hurts, one who could compliment first round pick Devonta Smith. Looking across the league, GM Howie Roseman saw Brown as a top option. On draft night, he pulled the trigger, getting his young, up-and-coming quarterback a brand new superstar target.
The Outcome
After trading their top receiver away, the Titans - who were the 1 seed in the AFC the past season - were left with a gaping hole on offense. With that 18th pick they received in the trade, Tennessee selected WR Treylon Burks out of Arkansas. A highly touted prospect who played like a mirror image of Brown for significantly less money, things started to look up in Nashville. However, the fact still remained that they lost their top WR, and had an aging QB-RB duo, with one coming off an injury. And when they started the next season 0-2, with neither game being particularly well played and Derrick Henry looking bad in both, some fans called for a total rebuild. They had selected Malik Willis in the 3rd round of the same draft, and Tennessee faithful wanted him to get his shot.
As it turned out, Willis would get his shot. In the middle of the season, when Ryan Tannehill went down an ankle injury, Willis started against the lowly Texans. The Titans had turned their season around. They were 4-2, leading the AFC South, and Henry had appeared to recover fully. While the Titans would end up winning 17-10, it was truly no thanks to Malik Willis, who went 6-10 for a full 55 yards and an INT. Burks, at this point in the season, had battled through injuries just to get on the field, and never really looked like the guy we saw at Arkansas. He would never fully unveil his talent until week 11 @ the Packers with Tannehill back under center. He would have 7 receptions for 111 yards, including a game icing bomb that just about sealed the division for Tennessee.
At 7-3 with the Colts and Jaguars far behind and the Texans barely afloat, it seemed the Titans were destined for another AFC South title. Nope. They lost their next 7 games, and the Jaguars overtook them, marching their way into the playoffs hot as the 4 seed. To make matters worse, they would get trampled, literally trampled, by AJ Brown and the Eagles 35-10 in week 13. Robert Woods, who was supposed to complement Burks, was released, and they were facing a young Jaguars team, and a Colts and Texans team that had top 5 picks and likely new QBs. It was time for a rebuild in Tennessee, and everyone new it.
The Eagles, on the other hand, received a huge boost from this trade, as Brown unleashed Quarterback Jalen Hurts' true potential. For much of the 2022 season, Hurts was the MVP favorite before a late season injury derailed his award campaign. He was able to return in the playoffs, though. And any concerns that he wasn't ready for that big stage were instantly put to bed. As the one sed, they cruised through thir first two rounds, knocking out the Giants quickly in the divisional, and - with the help of an injury - moved past the 9ers in the NFC championship.
Despite losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Hurts and Brown proved that they were legit. Their connection brought them to the biggest stage, and fans went into the offseason believing it could bring them back. And as they retained key pieces on both sides of the ball, that belief only grew stronger.
Year 2 after the trade for the Titans, with a new and improved (?) offensive line thanks to their Peter Skoronski pick in the draft, started better than many imagined. They started 2-2, even with Ryan Tannehill looking shaky and fans calling for rookie Will Levis to start. DeAndre Hopkins certainly helped to mask the AJ Brown hole, but nowhere near enough to make fans forget about it. He would give Tannehill, and eventually Levis a consistent, veteran target, that continuously elevated their games and saved the offense.
Once Tannehill went down with an injury and Levis stepped in, the outlook immediately looked stronger. It seemed as though there was a chance they could make the playoffs, although that hope quickly faded. By Week 18, they were left to play spoiler against the rival Jagfuars. Which, by the way, they executed to perfection. Now, Tennessee has the #7 pick in the draft, and after signing Calvin Ridley in the offseason, appears to have fixed their WR position.
After their Super Bowl run in the season prior, fans were expecting another masterclass from the Eagles. For the first 11 games of the season, that stood true. However, 3 quick losses, followed by 2 more to the Cardinals and Giants to end the season lost them their #1 seed and put them in an away game to start the playoffs.
In said game, they never really got the edge, and bowed out early, seemingly falling victim to the Super Bowl hangover. Superstar center Jason Kelce has since retired, and while the rest of the offensive line stayed intact, that major loss seemed to send fans into a downward spiral.
The Winner
An easy pick here, this trade has had completely opposite effects on the two teams, sending one of them into contention and one into rebuild, the Eagles win this deal by a landslide.
Eli Knight
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