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Adam Schefter Believes the Eagles Will Get a First-Round Pick for A.J. Brown
By Matt Schultz
Published:
There certainly hasn’t been any good news to glean from the A.J. Brown trade rumors flying around this week, but Adam Schefter just gave Eagles fans a small silver lining: Schefty said he believes the Birds will receive a first-round pick in a deal involving Brown — the only question, in his mind, is when that first rounder would be.
“I believe that when this trade is done, it will include a first-round draft pick. Now, it may be in ‘28. The two sides still have to figure it out and finalize it. Whatever it is, obviously they’ve had initial discussions, [and said] let’s revisit this. But yes, I do think in the end, that when A.J. Brown gets traded, I do think that trade will include a first-round draft pick. All I’m comfortable saying is, if the Eagles get back a one, in some form, and I believe they will, I think that’s gonna be strong compensation.”
Yes, Schefty! Thank you, Schefty! This is something I can get behind! As I touched on a few days ago when the Patriots trade rumor became serious, the idea of moving A.J. Brown out for something as low as a mid-second-round pick is truly, deeply upsetting. I know we’d all try to talk ourselves into it being fine, that the pick could still turn into something meaningful, but if we’re being honest… that would’ve stung! Especially when you zoom out and consider how we got here: A.J. pretty much quit on the team, publicly whined about being unhappy in Philly for months, and, in turn, tanked most of the leverage Howie Roseman has in trade negotiations. If, after all that, the Eagles only got a second rounder back for him… I’d be furious at A.J.! We would have to do something! Organize! File a mass tort! Not even sure against who! But we’d need justice!
But if Schefty’s right and the Eagles end up getting a first-rounder back… I would be willing to let bygones be bygones. I will be the bigger man…
As for the first rounder most likely being a 2028 pick, or beyond – that doesn’t bother me in the least. In a way, it’s better. We get to say we got a first-round pick back for A.J. Brown (This would feel very good ego-wise, like we didn’t get completely ripped off), and we’d have something cool to look forward to down the line. In my opinion, looking forward to cool stuff is oftentimes way better than experiencing the cool thing itself whenever it rolls around. I had a blast looking forward to the final season of Game of Thrones before it came out. In my memory, that was like four solid years of thinking, “These dragons are gonna be sick, one day…” and quietly smiling to myself. Then the final season finally came out, and the dragons were, in fact, not that sick (I don’t remember any of the plot of that season; it’s just a vague memory of it being bad). So give us a first-round pick in 2029! 2032! 2049! I don’t care! As long as it’s a first – any first – I’m happy.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…)