How does the DeVonta Smith contract affect A.J. Brown’s future in Philadelphia?

How does the DeVonta Smith contract affect A.J. Brown’s future in Philadelphia?

Skinny Batman is staying in Philadelphia.

The Eagles did what we all knew they’d do, sign their former first round pick and star wide receiver to a contract extension that keeps him in Philly for another five years. The three-year, $75 million extension will kick in after the final two years of his rookie deal (the fourth year and fifth-year team option), paying him $25 million a season in 2026, ‘27 and ‘28.

Smith has been durable and productive during his first three seasons and, paired with A.J. Brown, give the Eagles perhaps the best wide receiving duo in the NFL. It was a no-brainer for general manager Howie Roseman to keep him around, especially with a Super Bowl window remaining propped open.

It was also wise of Roseman to get this done before a slew of wideouts are due to sign new deals themselves: Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Ja’Marr Chase, to name three. By acting now, Roseman set the market and got his guy to accept a deal that seems pretty fair to both sides before those three superstars got theirs, elevating the number Smith could have commanded.

This is good news and is being properly celebrated, but it does bring to the forefront a potential issue that Roseman will need to figure out sooner rather than later.

A.J. Brown’s contract.

As noted by ESPN, the Eagles are the only team with two wide receivers ranked in the top 10 in total value and average annual salary. Brown’s salary also pays him $25 million a season and, together, their deals are costing the Birds $175 million. And ESPN also notes the only team with two wide receivers in 2024 making at least $20 million in cash value was the Bucs, with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both costing their team that much cash.

For 2024, the salaries work out fine. According to Spotrac, Jalen Hurts’ cap number is still a manageable $13.5 million, while Brown’s is $12.2 million and Smith’s is $6.4 million. That’s $32.1 million for the three of them, and when you throw in Lane Johnson’s $15.8 million, that brings it to $47.9 million. Totally fine.

In 2025, Brown’s cap hit skyrockets to $26.5 million, with Hurts’ increasing to $21.7 and Smith’s 5th-year rookie deal balloons to $15.6 million. That’s $63.8 million, nearly double 2024’s cap hit, and when you add in Lane Johnson’s $17.6 million, you’re looking at $81.4 million, an increase of $33.5 million.

In ‘26, Brown’s cap hit is a ludicrous $41.5 million and Hurts’ is $31.7 million. It’s unclear how the $25 million a season will be allocated from 2026-28 just yet, but needless to say, something will have to give.

The most likely scenario is a Brown contract restructure (or extension). There are still three years remaining on his deal, but none of it is guaranteed after this year’s $21 million. Some of his base salary in 2025 and ‘26 could be turned into guaranteed money in a restructure, and given he’s still just 27 years old and is one of the 3-5 best wideouts in the NFL, one would think Roseman will keep him around.

However, the Eagles are never one to leave themselves unprepared for such scenarios. While trading Brown is simply not going to happen, drafting a wide receiver seems a virtual certainty. The team was already looking to add a third receiver to the mix to potentially be the team’s No. 3 or 4 receiver in 2024, but if Roseman and the front office are leaning towards letting Brown go after this season, you could see them looking to add a more high impact receiver in the first round.

The bottom line: I wouldn’t worry too much about Brown leaving town anytime soon. The Eagles recognize what a special talent he is and how much his pairing with Smith allows them to have a dominant offense. But tough decisions might have to be made at some point, given Hurts’ contract escalating so dramatically over the next few years.