As trade speculation starts to surface, should the Detroit Lions make an offer for Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown?
It was easy to see coming as he seeks a long-term deal, but Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown did not show up for the first day of offseason work on Monday. Then, since that’s what’s done these days, he scrubbed all references to the team from his social media accounts.
The immediate Twitter reaction, after it was reported he didn’t show up to start offseason work, was to call Brown a “diva” and a “bad teammate”. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested, how dare he wants the contract he deserves.
There is no consequence to staying away from voluntary offseason work in April, but there can be financial incentive.
Brown, entering the final year of a four-year rookie contract (since he was a second-round pick), does not have a workout bonus to consider in regard to showing up at the team facility right now. And even if he did, eyeing the payday he is might be worth foregoing a bonus that might top out at $500,000.
Brown may get to the point where he asks for a trade, and the Titans could get a haul in return if they change course and are willing to entertain it.
NFL Trade Rumors: Should the Lions trade for A.J. Brown?
Brown has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, the first two seasons of his career, before a relatively disappointing 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games last season. But he is a dynamic threat before and after the catch, with size (6-foot-1, 226 pounds) and speed in spades.
For the Lions, or any other team regarding Brown, any trade conversation is the same as it is around Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf. It will require surrendering good draft capital to get him, then giving him a new deal in a receiver market that has been altered by the new deals Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill got (after being traded themselves).
If I were choosing between Brown and Metcalf, I’d choose Brown–the better all-around receiver. Whether Brown would be the Lions’ choice between the two is unknown, and it seems like a moot conversation as Detroit focuses on building in the draft.
But if you’re going to surrender draft picks for a proven commodity at wide receiver who may be on the outs with his team, let it be Brown.