$96,000,000 Eagles star A. J. Brown gets candid on being highest-paid WR in NFL: "We don't play on paper"
Just an hour before the draft began, the Philadelphia Eagles announced a three-year, $96 million extension with wide receiver A. J. Brown, tying him to the franchise until 2028. Two years ago, the Eagles acquired Brown with a trade during the draft; the extension came on the same night.
The average of $32 million per year is the highest in the league - or at least, it will be until Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase sign their extensions with their current teams. However, Brown signing a deal that makes him the highest-paid receiver in the league only goes to show how much the Eagles value him.
One would think that for a wide receiver, being the highest-paid in the league would mean a lot. But speaking to reporters on Tuesday about his contract extension, he didn't seem overly concerned about the title:
"Nothing. Nothing," Brown told reporters. "I want to prove it. We don't play on paper. Nobody cares what's in the bank account when you step between them lines."
It should be noted that the Eagles also signed Brown's partner in crime, DeVonta Smith, to a three-year, $75 million contract extension a few days before. Quarterback Jalen Hurts signed a second contract with the franchise back in 2023.
Brown, Smith with new contracts: Eagles hoping to avoid new midseason slump in 2024.
Philadelphia's problem in 2023 was serious because they lacked answers, and their opponents found out how to stop them. It's clear that Nick Sirianni's offensive machine needed something new, which is why they hired Kellen Moore. The offensive scheme doesn't make life easier for the receivers, who were all below average in the second half of the season.
DeVonta Smith and A. J. Brown produced in a few games here and there, but after their 3-3 run in the most grueling part of their season, Philadelphia fell off the rails and never recovered. Their season ended in a one-sided loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.
Considering how much money they spent on the offense, they better get back on track.