All this talk about trading A.J. Brown is madness. Anyway, you’re talking about trading the wrong Eagle.

In 2014, after one season as the Eagles’ head coach, Chip Kelly decided he’d had enough of DeSean Jackson, who’d been kind of a headache. Jeffrey Lurie had given Kelly power over the roster, and Kelly cut Jackson.

Jackson proceeded to lead the NFL in yards per catch in three of the next five seasons, two of which were 1,000-yard seasons. The Eagles would have just one 1,000-yard wide receiver in the next eight seasons (2014-21). They later had two in the same year, 2022, and the No. 1 receiver was A.J. Brown.

Today, 12 years after Kelly’s first foolish move — he also traded running back LeSean McCoy and he drafted disappointing receivers Nelson Agholor and Jordan Matthews — the Eagles again have a high-production receiver who’s been kind of a headache. NFL sources say they Eagles are considering trading him, even though such a trade would carry severe salary-cap ramifications; about $16 million, minimum.

That receiver is A.J. Brown.

Trading him would be crazy.

The Eagles should not even entertain offers for Brown. He is 28. He is driven. He is dedicated. He is irreplaceable. He’s spent the last four years making quarterback Jalen Hurts look good. That’s got to count for something.

Sure, he’s a diva, but then, he’s always been a diva. He was a diva when they traded for him four years ago. Brown immediately hung an “Always Open” sign above his locker. Huge diva move.

He has, at times, looked exasperated on the field. He has argued with coach Nick Sirianni on the sideline. For the last two seasons he’s continually criticized the offense both in person and on social media. The Eagles let him get away with it because they knew he’d still play well. They also let him get away with it because they knew, when they made the trade, and when they extended his contract twice, that he was likely to act like this.

Think about it: If you let your kid throw tantrums on the floor of the grocery store for three years, you can’t expect him to stop throwing tantrums when he’s 4. You just hope the tantrums aren’t so bad you can’t keep shopping.

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Could this behavior be a distraction? On most teams, yes. But nobody in the Eagles locker room pays much attention to Brown’s antics.

“There is a genuine appreciation for A.J,” Jason Kelce said Wednesday on 94 WIP.

Kelce has been retired for two seasons, but he remains well-connected to his former coaches and teammates. On Wednesday, Kelce also noted that Brown’s frustrations might be limiting the receiver’s effectiveness. Kelce certainly would know. In his final season, Kelce, himself an emotional player, counseled Brown on harnessing frustration.

Both Kelce and Brown’s current teammates know Brown for who he is. They also know the Eagles cannot afford the luxury of sudden sanctimony.

But does he really want to be here?

Brown hinted during the season that he might want to leave Philadelphia, posting the Bible verse Mark 6:11 after Week 4 on X: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”

He then ignored the media for the season’s final two months. When he departed the locker room after the Eagles’ home playoff loss to the 49ers, he hugged several teammates in scenes that looked like permanent goodbyes.

However, last week, Brown broke his media silence on Micah Parsons’ podcast, apparently to send the message that he’d be happy to return to the Eagles.

“As an offense, we just come back and just really watch the tape and rediscover ourselves,” Brown said.

Asked if he was excited about new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, he replied, “I’m excited for the season. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

In the bigger picture, it’s less important whether Brown wants to return than whether the Eagles can win another championship without him.

They cannot.

The Eagles have a shrinking window in which to reach another Super Bowl without a significant rebuild. They went to two of the last four Super Bowls. Get rid of Brown, and you can forget reaching a third any time soon.

He just had a 1,000-yard season in only 15 games, and that was his worst season in Philly. In 2024 he had a 1,000-yard season and played in just 13 games. He gave up on a few routes this season, and he disappeared in the wild-card playoff loss, but even when he’s bad, he’s good.

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How good?

He’s the best receiver in Eagles history.

He’s gained 5,034 receiving yards on 339 catches in four seasons. That’s 387 more yards and 76 more catches than Mike Quick’s best four seasons, 986 yards and 104 catches than Harold Carmichael’s best four seasons, and 1,097 yards and 131 catches more than Tommy McDonald’s best four seasons as an Eagle. They played in different eras, especially McDonald, but if you think A.J. Brown wouldn’t have dominated in the 1950s and ’60s, then you need to YouTube some NFL Films.

Why would you trade the best receiver in team history if he’s still in his prime?

Which opens another discussion: Is Brown still in his prime?

If you look at simple stats, then probably yes. If you look at some advanced metrics, you might think his moon is waning.

For instance, Brown’s average separation last season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, was 2.2 yards, eighth-lowest among qualified receivers. It also was an improvement; his 2.1 average in 2024 was third-lowest. But does it matter? After all, when he went to the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023 his separation averages were 2.6 and 2.4 yards, respectively.

Brown still consistently draws coverage from the other team’s best cornerback. He still consistently draws double teams. Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him 11th in all-around play among receivers with at least 60 targets. He was No. 2 in drop rate.

That’s not to say he couldn’t have played better, but then, the wide receiver position is more dependent on the rest of the team than any other position.

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The Eagles passing offense has averaged fewer than 195 yards per game each of the last two seasons, which seems absurd considering the weapons at Hurts’ disposal, but nobody in their right mind would consider this issue to fall at the feet of Brown, nor DeVonta Smith, nor Dallas Goedert.

In 2024, with defenses having discovered Hurts’ shortcomings and challenged Hurts’ arm, veteran offensive coordinator Kellen Moore leaned on running back Saquon Barkley and a historically dominant offensive line. That’s how the Eagles won the Super Bowl.

In 2025, opposing defenses sold out to stop Barkley, which worked, since the line had deteriorated due to age and injury. Challenged again, and with a first-time coordinator in Kevin Patullo, Hurts failed.

Not Brown. Hurts.

Let’s be real, folks.

You’re talking about trading the wrong damned guy.