Can the Eagles Actually Win Without AJ Brown? Here's What It Takes

The Short Answer: Yes. The Long Answer: It's Complicated.

Can the Eagles win without AJ Brown? As discussed on The National Football Show, the answer is yes — but with a long list of conditions attached.

Brown is the best receiver in franchise history. Losing him doesn't just remove a weapon — it removes the one player who demands defensive attention on every snap. Without Brown, defenses can load the box against Saquon Barkley and dare Jalen Hurts to beat them through the air. That's a problem.

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The Draft Class Could Save Them

The 2026 NFL Draft is loaded with wide receiver talent. There are legitimate first-round options who could step in and contribute immediately. If the Eagles trade Brown and use the pick capital wisely, they could land a young receiver on a rookie deal who gives them four years of cost-controlled production.

That's the Howie Roseman playbook — trade the expensive veteran, draft the replacement, use the cap savings to strengthen the roster elsewhere. It's worked before. But it requires hitting on the pick, and draft picks are never guaranteed.

DeVonta Smith Has Another Gear

Here's the part people forget: DeVonta Smith is still on this roster, and multiple people inside the building believe he hasn't reached his ceiling. Smith has been the perfect complement to Brown, but what happens when he's the clear number one? Some receivers shrink in that role. Others explode.

Smith's route-running, contested catch ability, and football IQ suggest he can handle the spotlight. If the Eagles' offensive system under Kellen Moore evolves to feature Smith more creatively, the dropoff from losing Brown might not be as steep as people fear.

The Defense Is the Foundation

The real reason the Eagles can survive losing Brown: the defense is championship-caliber regardless. Jalen Carter, Vic Fangio's scheme, and a secondary that's getting better every year — that's what won the Super Bowl, and that's what can win another one.

The Eagles don't need Brown to have an elite defense. They need Brown if they want an elite offense. The question is whether a good-enough offense paired with a great defense is enough to win it all. History says yes — just ask the 2000 Ravens, the 2015 Broncos, or the 2025 Eagles themselves.