Coming off a bye, the 9-2 Denver Broncos, on an eight-game winning streak, are preparing for the Washington Commanders. In fact, with six weeks left in the regular season, Denver is a good bet to make it to the AFC Championship. But with a rookie quarterback contract on the roster, it’s never too early to look ahead to the remaining years of the biggest competitive advantage in professional football.
How the Denver Broncos Acquire A.J. Brown in 2026
Since 2017, six teams have made the Super Bowl with a quarterback on a rookie contract on the roster. There’s the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, the 2018 Los Angeles Rams, the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs, the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles, and the 2023 San Francisco 49ers. The cost-effective contract allows teams to stack the rest of the roster. A.J. Brown to the Broncos has entered the chat.
Since the Broncos made Russell Wilson the largest dead cap hit in league history, there’s more leeway for dead cap hits. That said, a pre-June 1 trade of Brown to the Broncos nets a roughly $44 million dead cap hit for the Eagles. Why would the Eagles do that? Because the Broncos can offer Brown, 28, something Philadelphia can’t: More money.
The last time there were rumors that Brown, No. 25 in PFSN’s WR Impact Score, was unhappy in Philadelphia, he signed a three-year, $96 million contract extension. Well, the Eagles are scheduled to have roughly $20 million in cap space in 2026 and roughly $100 million in 2027. But this time around, interior defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, among others, are also due for contract extensions.
The Broncos, meanwhile, are scheduled to have roughly $50 million in cap space in 2026 and approximately $69 million in 2027 with no contract extensions looming. Bo Nix can’t negotiate a contract extension until after the 2026 season because he hasn’t accrued three seasons. It’s the perfect time to strike for Brown for the Broncos. 2026 is Brown’s last contract year with guaranteed money. The Broncos can simply give Brown a raise in 2026 and 2027 while guaranteeing the latter year as well. Brown will be 30 in 2027.
Brown’s annual salary is sixth among wide receivers. One more million a year puts Brown’s salary at fourth among wide receivers at $33 million. With four years left on his contract, that’s an extra four million. That and guaranteeing Brown’s 2027 salary should seal him forcing his way out of Philadelphia. It’s unlikely Philadelphia will raise Brown’s salary and guarantee an additional year after a down season.
Brown’s stats through 10 games are below.
75-46-567-4
That’s 46 receptions on 75 targets for 567 yards (56.7 yards per game) and four touchdowns. Brown’s pace is less than the 65-yard per-game average that’d put him at 1,100-plus yards in a 17-game season. For reference, here are Brown’s stats in his first three seasons with the Eagles.
2022: 145-88-1,496-11 (88 yards per game)
2023: 158-106-1,456-7 (85.6 yards per game)
2024: 97-67-1,079-7 (83 yards per game, 13 games)
Brown’s stats are severely down this season, but a wide receiver who just averaged 83 yards per game less than two seasons ago can’t be washed. It’s time for a change of scenery for Brown. He’ll be 29 in 2026 and has an outside chance at making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brown’s career stats are below.
770-492-7,593-53
If Brown cares about his stats and winning, he’ll come to Denver. If he only cares about winning, he’ll stay in Philadelphia. In Denver, though, there’s no DeVonta Smith. In fact, Courtland Sutton’s stats are down this season. He is taking away the opposing defense’s No. 1 cornerback — and getting double-teamed — for the rest of the wide receiver room. Brown would free opportunities for Sutton, and then it would trickle down to Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant.
If the Broncos thought Franklin, Mims Jr., or Bryant could succeed Sutton as the No. 1 wide receiver, then they would’ve been drafted higher. Franklin was a fourth-round pick, Mims Jr. was a late second-round pick, and Bryant was a third-round pick. No. 1 wide receivers typically go in the first round. Brown, a second-round pick, is an exception.
When it comes to compensation in a trade, the Broncos should send a second-round pick and a Day 3 pick to the Eagles. Brown was previously traded for a first-round pick and a third-round pick from the Titans to the Eagles. The question for the Broncos becomes, is Brown worth a second-round pick, a Day 3 pick, an extra four million on top of his three-year, $96 million contract extension, and guaranteeing an extra year coming off a down season.
Well, the second-round pick is likely No. 60 or later. That’s basically an early third-round pick because it’s outside of the top 50. The Day 3 pick is a sweetener. Look at it as a cost-effective backup contract. Would you rather have four seasons of a late second-round pick and a Day 3 backup or Brown? Brown will be 32 at the start of his fourth and final contract year if traded.
The extra four million over four seasons is about the allocation of money on the roster. That said, John Franklin-Myers and J.K. Dobbins — impending free agents — are most likely not back if the Broncos acquire Brown. In addition, the Broncos could include Jarrett Stidham in a trade for Brown. That nets the Broncos $6.5 million in cap space. Releasing Stidham outright nets $4.5 million.
So, now it comes down to guaranteeing Brown an extra year on his contract, while coming off a down season. Brown will be 29 and 30 in 2026 and 2027, respectively. That said, Brown’s new contract would essentially be a two-year contract with two team option years on the backend for a total of four contract years. As of right now, Brown’s contract, after 2025, is essentially a one-year contract with three team option years on the backend.
The question for Brown becomes, is that extra year of guarantees and a slight raise worth it to force his way out of Philadelphia. On the Broncos, Brown would easily average eight-plus targets a game. As of right now, he’s averaging 7.5, but the efficiency isn’t there. Brown once lifted the ceiling of the Eagles’ offense in Year 3 of Jalen Hurts. The former can do the same for the Broncos’ offense in Year 3 of Bo Nix.
Why would the Eagles take on a roughly $44 million dead cap hit? Philadelphia can post-June 1 the trade to split the dead cap hit into two seasons. So, in 2026, the Eagles would actually net over $7 million trading Brown to the Broncos, with a dead cap hit of roughly $17 million. The remaining dead cap hit would apply to the 2027 season. In other words, the Eagles will trade Brown for the right offer.
Smith, 29, meanwhile, is No. 11 in PFSN’s WR Impact Score. He is ready to take over as the Eagles’ No. 1 WR. Pick 60 can be a No. 2 WR pick as well. It’s what the Tennessee Titans tried to do after trading Brown by drafting Treylon Burks. At EDGE rusher, it’s what the Broncos did after trading Von Miller by drafting Nik Bonitto. Why, why? It’s just time for Brown and the Eagles to split.
