The Baltimore Ravens need to give quarterback Lamar Jackson more weaponry if they want to emerge as legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2026. Adding a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver like AJ Brown in an offseason trade could help new head coach Jesse Minter do just that.
The idea is not as far-fetched as some fans might think. Baltimore running back Derrick Henry is not shy with his enthusiasm for reuniting with the enigmatic wide receiver. He recently called Brown the sort of "dog" that he wants to play with on a weekly basis. Henry went on to express his belief that adding Brown to the likes of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely would give his team a lethal group of pass-catchers.
What a Ravens trade for AJ Brown would look like
The biggest obstacle for any team interested in trading for Brown this season is the mountain of dead cap Philadelphia would need to consume. Any transaction completed before June 1 would force the Eagles to accept a dead cap hit of $43.5 million.
Things do get a little easier for the Eagles if they wait until after the draft to complete a deal. Their dead cap hit would drop to just $16.5 million. That's still a hefty figure, but it's an amount a contender like the Eagles can find a way around with some clever cap gymnastics.
The Eagles will understandably ask a team like Baltimore for a fortune of draft compensation ahead of June 1 if they're going to part with Brown. No team should be willing to pay Philadelphia what they will justifiably ask for to accept such a massive cap hit.
Ravens have all the leverage in a trade for AJ Brown
Instead, look for teams like the Ravens to wait until after the draft to seriously engage the Eagles' front office. Philadelphia will regret not being able to immediately realize draft compensation this year but they can afford to take the long view.
That puts Baltimore in a position to leverage their 2027 draft assets in any potential Brown deal. Philadelphia would love to get a Round 1 selection, but the Ravens aren't going to offer up such a premium asset for a 28-year-old wide receiver.
Giving up a Day 2 pick seems like a compromise both franchises might accept. The Eagles could choose to exercise patience and use the pick themselves, but they could also leverage it as a trade asset to acquire a player who can help them win now.
Losng a second rounder would sting the Ravens, but they should understand that going all-in around Jackson is the right thing to do at this stage of his career. It's a risky deal for Baltimore but it could pay off hansomely in the postseason.