The Los Angeles Rams ultimately pulled out of trade negotiations for A.J. Brown, but now we know what the asking price was for the Philadelphia Eagles receiver. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles valued “acquiring additional picks in 2027 and 2028,” and had discussed “picks in future years” as compensation in trade talks with the Rams and the New England Patriots for the veteran receiver.
While the Rams reportedly were “scared off” by Brown’s medical history, it stands to reason the team also wasn’t too interested in trading away a lot of draft capital in future years. For one, the 2027 draft is considered much stronger than the 2026 class — especially at quarterback. L.A. also doesn’t have a clear plan at quarterback yet if and when Matthew Stafford retires, and the next two drafts could be important in whatever they decide to do at that position.
The Rams also have a lot of upcoming contract negotiations to consider and would likely need some rookie contracts to offset the cost of those extensions. Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Steve Avila and Jared Verse are the biggest stars that will need new deals over the next two seasons, and Brown would have cost more than $20 million against the salary cap if he joined the team.
Ultimately, the decision not to trade for Brown made sense for a lot of reasons. He’s likely bound for the Patriots, per Schefter, at some point this offseason. The Rams, meanwhile, have their sights set on the 2026 Super Bowl with their current roster that almost made the Super Bowl a year ago.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Report: Eagles wanted ‘picks in future years’ from Rams for AJ Brown
Reporting by Oliver G., Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
