With the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl window open, many expect the team to explore ways to get better on offense and surround quarterback Bo Nix with weapons. Well, ESPN writer Bill Barnwell proposed a trade that would send Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Denver Broncos for a defensive starter and multiple draft picks.
The full trade has the Denver Broncos sending starting cornerback Riley Moss, a 2026 2nd round pick, and a 2027 5th round pick to the Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown and a 2026 5th round selection.
Trade Details
- Broncos get: WR A.J. Brown, 2026 fifth-round pick
- Eagles get: CB Riley Moss, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick
This would be a complicated trade because the Broncos would be taking on A.J. Brown’s big contract, the Eagles would be eating a significant amount of dead money, and then the Broncos, in this scenario, would also be giving up a starting corner and a 2nd round pick.
Barnwell notes that the Broncos may view Moss expendable because of 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron. Slot corner Ja’Quan McMillian is an RFA but is expected back and will be a UFA next season if he doesn’t sign an extension. Moss will also be a UFA after next season, so the team will likely have to decide who they want to keep between the two corners. In this scenario, the Broncos are picking McMillian and allowing Jahdae Barron to replace Moss in the lineup.
The Broncos would be willing to move on from Moss because of what they have at cornerback. Surtain is not going anywhere. Ja’Quan McMillian — a restricted free agent — has been excellent in the slot. And GM George Paton used Denver’s 2025 first-round pick to draft Jahdae Barron out of Texas. Barron played only 334 snaps during his rookie year, spending most of that time in the slot, but the Broncos obviously expect him to play more in the years to come. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back while playing outside in 2024, so he should hold up as a boundary cornerback. Trading Moss a year before free agency would lock in a draft pick and open a spot for Barron in the lineup.
He continues and says that A.J. Brown “be the wideout of Bo Nix’s and Sean Payton’s dreams” due to his ability to make contested catches downfield.
Plus, Brown would be the wideout of Bo Nix’s and Sean Payton’s dreams. Nix’s accuracy issues downfield would be mitigated by Brown’s size, catch radius and ability to win on contested-catch opportunities. Payton has unlocked massive seasons from bigger wide receivers such as Marques Colston and Michael Thomas. Brown could be that player for Nix while pushing Courtland Sutton into a second wideout role. It would be a big swing for the Broncos, but after coming within a score of making it to the Super Bowl, I wouldn’t fault Payton for trying to add one more essential player on offense.
Trading for Brown would give the Broncos a legitimate WR1 on paper, but it would come with some risk. Brown had a down year for the Eagles and had some bad drops in their playoff loss. Also, there are some character and locker room concerns there, but maybe a change of scenery will be best for Brown, as the Eagles were a bit of a mess this past season.
Personally, I think the Broncos are giving up a bit too much in this proposed trade. They would be taking on a big-money deal and a player coming off a down year. Giving up a defensive starter AND a 2nd round pick seems like a bit much for me. Switch that 2nd rounder to the early 4th rounder, and we have a deal.
So, what do you think, Broncos Country? Would you make this deal? Do you think they are giving up too much? Do you even want the team to trade for AJ Brown? Let us know down below in the comments.