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The Titans rejected multiple trade offers from the Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown prior to the culmination of the draft-night deal that led to Brown landing in Philadelphia, sources told MMQB’s Albert Breer.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, a former Colts assistant, huddled with Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman and others to review and study tape of Brown, per Breer. Sirianni, who coached against Brown twice a year in the AFC South when he was with the Colts, was a big fan of Brown. Roseman was all-in on Brown as well, which ultimately led to the manifestation on draft night that landed Brown with the Eagles.
Last Wednesday, the night before the first round of the draft, Roseman called Titans general manager Jon Robinson for a normal pre-draft call. It’s not uncommon for executives to connect before the draft to swap information and talk through potential trade scenarios.
Robinson told Roseman multiple times that he wouldn’t be looking to trade A.J. Brown and that he loved him as a player. However, as the call continued, Robinson told Roseman that contract negotiations between the Titans and Brown hit a snag, and that both sides were too far apart to expect a contract extension that Brown was looking for.
“If a deal gets done, this is what it’s going to be,” Robinson reportedly told Roseman.
Robinson made a formal trade offer to Roseman for Brown, and the Eagles general manager said he was willing to agree to the terms of the trade proposal.
For the Titans GM Robinson, he would not complete the deal with Roseman and the Eagles unless he was able to get a contract extension completed with Brown prior to his arrival in Philadelphia.
Within the 24 hours leading up to the draft, the Eagles and Brown’s camp worked hard on a contract extension that would be agreed to and consummated upon his trade to Philadelphia. Both sides worked on the extension up until it was time for the Eagles to pick at 18. Once the contract was agreed upon, the trade package for Brown, which included multiple picks beginning with pick No. 18, was sent to the Titans in exchange for the up-and-coming wide receiver.
Brown will now be tied to the Eagles for the next five seasons, as he agreed to a four-year contract extension with Philadelphia for $100 million, including $57 million guaranteed. The contract made Brown the fourth-highest paid receiver in the NFL.
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