PHILADELPHIA — Eagles receiver A.J. Brown was too necessary to the staff to maneuver him on the commerce deadline, common supervisor Howie Roseman stated Tuesday.
“I feel that if you’re making an attempt to be a fantastic staff, it is onerous to commerce nice gamers, and A.J. Brown is a good participant,” Roseman stated of the staff captain on a videoconference with reporters. “He wears a ‘C’ for a cause. He is an necessary a part of this staff, of this group. He cares about successful, he cares about his teammates, and I feel if you’re a staff like ours that’s trying ahead to a possibility to compete for a championship, you simply do not eliminate guys like that.”
Brown, 28, is averaging a career-low 56.4 receiving yards per recreation this season and has expressed frustration over the state of the Eagles’ offense on a number of events.
He posted a photograph to Instagram following a breakout two-touchdown efficiency in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in mid-October with a caption studying, “Utilizing me however not utilizing me,” prompting hypothesis about whether or not it was directed on the staff. Coach Nick Sirianni stated, nonetheless, that it was “enterprise as normal” contained in the Eagles’ constructing.
Brown eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in every of his three seasons in Philadelphia and has been part of two groups that reached the Tremendous Bowl, together with final 12 months’s squad that gained all of it.
“I really feel very fortunate to have him on our staff and excited concerning the second half of the season with him,” Roseman stated.
The Eagles made a flurry of strikes previous to the deadline in an try to extend their probabilities of a repeat. They acquired:
The Eagles’ edge rush group lacked manufacturing over the primary half of the season however ought to look a lot completely different now with Nolan Smith (triceps) nearing a return, Brandon Graham unretiring and the commerce for Phillips.
“He can rush, he can set the sting, he can play in area. He is acquired a nonstop motor,” Roseman stated of Phillips.
“Clearly it is acquired to return collectively on the sector, however I really feel like we have got a very good entrance, and clearly including Jaelan to that places quite a lot of items in place to present us the chance to be dominant up entrance.”
Phillips performed for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio when Fangio held the identical publish in Miami in 2023 and was within the midst of a profession 12 months earlier than tearing his Achilles.
Roseman stated the familiarity with all three gamers — senior personnel director Joe Douglas was the Jets’ common supervisor when New York drafted Carter, and passing recreation coordinator/defensive backs coach Christian Parker was with Alexander in Inexperienced Bay in 2019-20 when Parker served as a defensive high quality management coach — allowed for higher consolation making these in-season strikes.
Though Phillips’ function appears straightforward to mission — he ought to be close to the highest of the sting rush rotation instantly — it is but to be seen how Carter and Alexander match into a gaggle that’s led by Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell however has struggled to solidify the third participant within the CB puzzle.
“I feel the primary half of the season confirmed us how necessary cornerback depth is,” stated Roseman, who noticed corners Mitchell, Jakorian Bennett, Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo all cope with varied accidents. Roseman added that Carter can even play security, one other place that might use some bolstering.
Roseman stated, “We’re not executed right here,” with respect to the roster again in August and made true on that assertion. He additionally acquired working again Tank Bigsby, Bennett, QB Sam Howell, OT Fred Johnson and Metchie in latest weeks.
“If there’s an incremental distinction in a participant, we owe it to our staff, to our followers, to our constructing, to our proprietor to try this,” he stated.