Reaction mixed at Eagles' OTAs following A.J. Brown's departure - ESPN

PHILADELPHIA — There was a mixed reaction to receiver A.J. Brown's departure by his former Eagles teammates Tuesday, ranging from a sense of loss to relief that the saga is now in the rearview mirror.

«I think this is more of a — it sounds terrible — but like, thank God it's over. It was a slow pain of just, is he in, is he out?» left tackle Jordan Mailata said. «We didn't really know, and that really wasn't our focus as a team, our team, especially on offense.»

Brown was traded to the New England Patriots on Monday in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The move had been expected for weeks following a frustration-filled 2025 season during which Brown made his dissatisfaction with the Eagles' offense plainly known.

Brown, though, made a resounding impact during his four years in Philadelphia, complete with two seasons with 1,400-plus receiving yards, two trips to the Super Bowl and a world championship. He was also a force in the locker room, as players expressed Tuesday following practice.

«That's my big brother. I wish him nothing but the best,» cornerback Quinyon Mitchell said. «He helped me grow in my game and gain more confidence, so I'm thankful for him and I love him as a big brother.»

Fellow corner Cooper DeJean noted that Brown was the first to call him «All-Pro Coop» and pushed him to live up to the name, which eventually he did.

«Anytime you lose a great player like him, it hurts,» DeJean said. «And he's a great friend of mine, he was a great teammate in our locker room. But there's a business side to this thing, so everybody did what was best for them.»

The Eagles were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers following a down regular season