NASHVILLE, Tenn. – One of the best draft picks of the Titans era is going to the Super Bowl. With the Eagles. For the second time in three years.

For many, the April 28, 2022 trade of A.J. Brown marked the start of Tennessee’s downfall. I believe it started two years earlier, with the first-round selection of Isaiah Wilson.

But trading Brown was a disaster. While the Titans have done better at receiver than they did before Brown, signing DeAndre Hopkins in 2023, Calvin Ridley in 2024 and getting a breakout touchdown season from Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in 2024, a dynamic game-breaker like Brown remains high on their list of needs.

The Titans have a long history of failure at drafting and developing wide receivers. Brown was a massive breakthrough, a combination of fast and tough who regularly fielded passes caught cutting across the field, muscled the first defender and ran away from others.

But when Jon Robinson got sideways with him over a contract extension, the GM's solution was to deal him and try to duplicate what Minnesota did in 2020: The Vikings sent Stefon Diggs to Buffalo for the 22nd pick, with which it drafted Justin Jefferson.

We all know the Titans' attempt to duplicate that failed.

The Eagles gave the Titans No. 18 and 101 in 2022. The Titans chose Treylon Burks and dealt No. 26. (linebacker Jermaine Johnson) and No. 101 (tight end Jeremy Ruckert) to the Jets for No. 35 (Roger McCreary), No. 69 (Nicholas Petit-Frere) and No. 163 (Kyle Philips).

Burks has played in 20 fewer games over the three years since the trade and his lack of production has been well documented. Here is a head-to-head comparison from 2022-24.

AJ Brown vs. Treylon Burks
AJ Brown vs. Treylon Burks, 2022-24/ Pro Football Reference

In his three years with the Eagles, Brown has been better in every category except one. He averaged 10.2 yards per target for the Titans and his number in Philadelphia is 10.1.

Otherwise, for the Eagles he has…

  • Four more games
  • 10 more starts
  • 105 more targets
  • 76 more catches
  • 1,036 more yards
  • One more TD
  • 41 more first downs
  • 16.1 more yards a game

That’s not to mention the playoffs, in which he’s now played six games for Philadelphia compared to five for the Titans.

He’s got 11 more targets, six more catches, 18.1 yards per reception compared to 12.1, five more first downs and 13.5 more yards per game. He scored the same number of TDs for each team, two, and his yards per target were higher in Nashville, 10.0 to 6.7.

When Robinson and Brown squared off, three other teams were in the same spot with top receivers.

The Commanders and Terry McLaurin, the 49ers and Deebo Samuel and the Seahawks and DK Metcalf all found their way to new contracts. 

Brown has been the best of the four over the last three years.

Now Brown will play in the Super Bowl for the second time. Hopkins, who the Titans traded on Oct. 23, 2024 for a fifth-round pick, will be on the other side for the Chiefs. 

The Titans will search for a big-time receiver in the draft.

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