What the DJ Moore trade means for the Eagles and A.J. Brown

Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) walks through the tunnel prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The wide receiver market is changing by the day, and with just under a week until the official start of NFL free agency, several of the moves have implications for whether the Eagles end up trading A.J. Brown.

Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane's most recent report suggests that the team is only considering AFC teams as trade partners for their star receiver, and teams initially connected to Brown were the Patriots, Bills, and Ravens.

On Thursday, the Bears traded WR D.J. Moore to the Bills, which essentially took Buffalo out of the running for Brown. The Bills gave up a second round pick to the Bears in exchange for Moore and a fifth-rounder, which will help support the Eagles asking for a first round pick for A.J. Brown.

The #Bears getting a 2nd-round pick (No. 60) for DJ Moore will make the #Eagles' stance for a 1st in a package for A.J. Brown even stronger.

Buffalo also took on $40M in guarantees with DJ Moore's contract. Hefty price. https://t.co/1uuMqx12fM

- Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 5, 2026

As for the Patriots, Brown has been linked to them since his former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel took over in New England. Vrabel has been anything but shy about his admiration for Brown and spoke at the NFL Combine about their personal relationship and mutual respect. To make things even more interesting, the Patriots released WR Stefon Diggs on Wednesday, which leaves a big hole in their receiver room. Perhaps Moore to the Bills helps the Eagles when it comes to the Patriots' position.

I believe that this is actually a positive development for the Eagles, in that it helps with their leverage with the Patriots. It never seemed like the Bills were interested in A.J. Brown anyway, and the Patriots can't pretend anymore to have a Moore as a fallback trade option. https://t.co/tAh8uu6h7Z

- Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) March 5, 2026

There haven't been many links between Brown and the Ravens, at least publicly, but Derrick Henry joked with the WR about coming to Baltimore when they were both doing media ahead of the Super Bowl.

The Eagles need to figure out whether Brown is going to be in Philadelphia for the 2026 season sooner rather than later. The expectation is that Brown's future is sorted out within the week - and thank goodness, if true, because the topic has been absolutely exhausted already this offseason.