There was some quiet talk earlier this offseason that the Philadelphia Eagles might trade star wide receiver A.J. Brown rather than hand the Pro Bowler a lucrative contract extension.
It didn’t seem to make too much sense. Philadelphia exhausted a haul to acquire Brown from the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 NFL Draft. He has shown out big time in two seasons with the Eagles since.
- A.J. Brown stats (2022-23): 194 receptions, 2,952 yards, 18 TD
About that? Immediately ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft starting on Friday, the Eagles made a bold move. They signed Brown to a record-breaking three-year, $96 million contract extension. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the details of the deal.
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The deal makes Brown the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history on a per-year basis at $32 million. It also calls for a total guarantee of $84 million. This sets the mark for wide receivers in the history of the league.
For Philadelphia, it is a continuation of an offseason that has seen Howie Roseman and Co. lock up multiple core players on huge long-term contract. That list includes wide receiver DeVonta Smith as well as offensive linemen Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson.
This deal comes one day after the Detroit Lions made Amon-Ra St. Brown what was then the highest-paid wider receiver in league history. It also comes with the likes of Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase and Brandon Aiyuk also looking for long-term deals.