For a brief moment in time, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was the highest-paid player at the position across the NFL.
However, there’s little dispute that Brown is one of the biggest matchup nightmares for opposing cornerbacks, especially since arriving in Philadelphia as quarterback Jalen Hurts’ favorite target prior to the 2022 campaign.
Through his first two seasons in an Eagles uniform, Brown has pulled down 194 receptions 2,952 yards with 18 touchdown catches.
What Makes Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown Special
As the 2024 season looms, Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson put together a list of the top quarterback-receiver duos in the NFL, including Hurts and Brown.
Monson also points out that one of the things that makes Brown truly special, and one of the game’s elite receivers is his consistency when it comes to making contested catches.
“Even with Jalen Hurts battling through injury all last season,” Monson points out for PFF. “His combination with A.J. Brown still connected 106 times for almost 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns. Brown averaged 2.52 yards per route run and is one of the most difficult covers in all of football. At 226 pounds, Brown is a massive receiver, and the Eagles use that to good effect by keeping him on the outside, where he faces the most aggressive coverage.
“Brown is outstanding in almost every area, catching more than 45% of his contested targets over the past two seasons in Philadelphia and dropping only four balls in 2023.”
In a new offense, led by new coordinator Kellen Moore, if Hurts can return to his MVP-caliber form that he showcased during the Eagles’ 2022 run to the Super Bowl, Brown could be even more prolific in 2024 than he has been since his arrival in the City of Brotherly Love.
Given that Hurts boasted a whopping 104.5 passer rating when throwing Brown’s direction in 2023, don’t expect any sort of step back from this duo in 2024.
