NFL insider pours cold water on Ravens’ AJ Brown trade possibility

The Baltimore Ravens need some big-time moves this offseason. They already kicked off some massive changes with the firing of 18-year head coach John Harbaugh. To replace him, the team hired one of the most sought-after coaches this cycle in Jesse Minter.

Clearly, the coming months will be critical. They’re starting a new era, and after a severely disappointing 2025 season, a complete roster revamp needs to be on the way. They lacked depth and star power at various positions last year, and it was ultimately their downfall.

One area that the Ravens need to improve is the weapons surrounding quarterback Lamar Jackson. Outside of wide receiver Zay Flowers, no player recorded over 422 receiving yards in 2025. That could all change if they acquired Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, who requested a trade multiple times last season. However, according to recent reports, it sounds less likely that he’ll be available.

On Sunday, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo provided an update on Brown’s situation.

“There’s been no trade talks yet between the Eagles and some other teams. And there’s been only brief talks with Brown’s camp from the team,” Garafolo said. “Everyone says that A.J. Brown is in a good space…In my talking with him briefly, I got the sense that he was much more at peace.”

Garafolo also added that if Philadelphia opts to trade Brown, there would be a $43.5 million cap hit. Of course, that could drive up the price on potential compensation, making a trade all the more unlikely at this point.

Ravens may not have a chance to trade for A.J. Brown this offseason

The idea of trading for the Eagles' star was always a long shot. Brown’s antics on and off the field likely diminish the interest from Baltimore’s front office, and his contract is an eyesore. You can see his cap hit and dead cap for the remaining years of his deal via Spotrac here.

Still, it’s become painfully obvious that Baltimore’s players want him on the roster. When asked about on the Kay Adams Show, running back Derrick Henry made a strong pitch to bring Brown over to Charm City.

He didn’t stop there either. Henry appeared on a Twitch stream with Brown on Saturday night, and made it known he really wants the three-time Pro Bowler on the Ravens.

It doesn’t need to be said that Jackson can benefit significantly with a player like Brown on his side. In each of the past four seasons, Brown has recorded over 1,000 yards and at least seven touchdowns. He has recorded such stat lines in every year of his career, except for his 2021 campaign, when he played in just 13 regular-season games.

Jackson would also love to have that physical option on the boundary. For his entire NFL career, the two-time MVP hasn’t had a true threat on the outside that can consistently win those contested catch opportunities. Brown would be that guy.

Ultimately, the Brown rumors are starting to leak outside the realm of realistic opportunities.