94WIP Afternoon Show host Jack Fritz proposed a rather explosive Eagles' trade idea: A.J. Brown for Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
"He's one of the top three cornerbacks in football. Him and Sauce Gardner, I think, are one and two," Fritz began on Tuesday's 94WIP Afternoon Show with Ike Reese.
"The guy they brought in yesterday, [defensive backs coach] Karl Scott, coached him for three years at Alabama. [New Eagles defensive coordinator] Vic Fangio drafted him. Vic Fangio, who the Eagles have been courting for years to come here and be the defensive coordinator, was the coach that drafted Patrick Surtain. And finally, is that the Eagles tried at the deadline to trade for him, tried to block the Niners from getting him, so they have interest. They had interest in him in that draft, the DeVonta [Smith] draft. They just couldn't go up and get him."
Fritz is proposing the Eagles offer star 26-year-old wide receiver A.J. Brown for the 23-year-old 2022 First-Team All-Pro corner.
Ike Reese, while saying he would not trade Brown, admits the discussion is interesting because of the financial dynamics, as the Eagles will soon have to pay 25-year-old receiver DeVonta Smith—who went 10th overall to Philadelphia in the 2021 NFL Draft, one spot behind Surtain.
"The discussion becomes interesting, before everyone's knee jerk reactions," Reese replied. "Because that's my knee jerk reaction, I would not trade A.J. Brown, I just wouldn't...The idea of possibly paying two receivers like they're number one wide receivers at a number one salary, plus a quarterback making the money he is making, does become difficult. It's actually unprecedented around the league...Eventually, the Eagles are going to have to make this tough decision on A.J. moving forward."
Brown has a cap hit of $12.4 million, $26.5 million, and $41.5 million over the next three seasons, respectively. Both Surtain II and Smith are still on their rookie contracts—both approximately four years, $20 million—heading into their fourth NFL seasons.
The vast majority of fans agree with Reese.
