April 28, 2002, is a day that will live in NFL Draft infamy. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Tennessee Titans shocked the NFL world when Tennessee shipped off their Pro Bowl WR A.J. Brown to the Eagles in exchange for first and third-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Entering draft night, Brown indicated to the Titans’ front office he was unhappy with his current contract situation in Tennessee, but no one expected an earth-shattering deal to go down like this. The Eagles gladly made the trade and extended the wide receiver to a deal of his liking — a four-year, $100 million contract.
Over a year later, much has transpired for Philadelphia and Tennessee. It’s time to revisit the winners and losers of the infamous 2022 draft-night trade.
A.J. Brown Trade Details
Eagles received: WR A.J. Brown
Titans received: first-round pick (18th overall) and third-round pick (101st overall)
Players Involved in the A.J. Brown Trade
Brown was the key cog in this deal. The Titans would have liked to have kept their All-Pro receiver, but due to salary cap constraints and what Brown was asking for, Tennessee’s front office thought it best to ship Brown to another organization.
The Titans would use the 18th overall selection on WR Treylon Burks out of Arkansas. Oddly enough, several draft analysts compared Burks to Brown and Deebo Samuel, given his physical style of play and run-after-the-catch ability.
Several draft analysts considered Burks a bit “raw,” considering his role while playing for the Razorbacks was based more around his ability as a playmaker than as a receiver with a nuanced route tree. Replacing a beloved player in Brown would be a tall task, but Burks did have the athletic profile to fit the vacated role.
The Titans, however, never used the third-round pick they acquired in the deal. Tennessee would send that selection along with their own first-round selection (26th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for picks 35, 69, and 163.
Who Won the A.J. Brown Trade?
By a landslide, the Eagles won this trade. Brown has been worth every penny for the Eagles, turning in one of the best seasons in franchise history and helping Philadelphia advance to the Super Bowl.
Brown was critical for the development of franchise QB Jalen Hurts. The best friends’ connection off the field carried over to on the field as they developed the best rapport in the NFL.
The Eagles do not win the NFC without A.J. Brown, simple as that.
The Titans, on the other hand, look foolish — for now. NFL teams must adhere to the salary cap, but a year after trading Brown, signing veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a free agent deal feels like a team attempting to fix their mistake.
To be fair to the Titans, 2022 was Burks’ rookie season, and no player’s career should be based solely on their first year. Burks has an exciting skill set and should develop additional consistency with more seasoning in his second year.
NFL trades should be evaluated over the long haul, and we shouldn’t rush to judgment with a victor one way or the other. But for now, it seems the evidence is in favor of Brown, Hurts, and the Eagles.