Eagles general manager Howie Roseman admitted that it was a mistake to pass on wide receiver A.J. Brown in the 2019 draft, saying in a podcast interview on Thursday that the organization had thoroughly evaluated the player before choosing offensive tackle Andre Dillard instead.
Roseman was questioned about how the deal with the Tennessee Titans occurred the evening before the 2022 NFL draft’s first round on an episode of Bussin with the Boys that was shown on Thursday. The squad had been considering Brown for a while, according to Roseman.
A.J. is an amazing talent, in my opinion, and we really spent a lot of time studying him before the draft, so I really (expletive) it up by passing on him in the first round, Roseman said. We had a chance to bring him here, and we ought to have.
With 261 receptions for 4,031 yards and 25 touchdowns since joining the Eagles, Brown has helped the team make it to the Super Bowl twice, including last year’s victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brown’s ability to cause missed tackles and make it difficult for defensive backs to cover him were both commended by Roseman. The general manager also emphasized how Brown rose to the position of captain last season as a result of his development as a team leader. Beyond his personal influence, Roseman mentioned Brown’s collaboration with wide receiver DeVonta Smith, stating that when they are both on the field, their presence creates what he refers to as freak show city.
He had a relationship with (quarterback) Jalen Hurts before to that, of course, but with him and DeVonta together, Roseman said, “you see two guys who are selfless and just want to win.” I believe you can see that DeVonta is the first to congratulate A.J. after he has a fantastic game. A.J. is the first to congratulate DeVonta after a strong game. It’s a lovely thing.
In the second round of the 2019 draft, Brown was chosen by the Titans. Dillard was chosen by the Eagles with the 19th overall pick; he played for Philadelphia for four seasons before the organization cut him following the 2022 campaign. Since then, Dillard has played for the Green Bay Packers and Titans. This offseason, he signed with the 49ers before having ankle surgery that put him on season-ending injured reserve on Thursday.
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