Upcoming NFL Roster Decisions
With the first NFL game of the 2026 season just around the corner—only 100 days away—teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are gearing up to make significant roster choices regarding key wide receivers. The announcements regarding players such as AJ Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. might come as soon as Monday.
The Giants have been in talks with Beckham for more than a month, and they plan to bring him into their facility for a visit on Monday, as confirmed by multiple sources.
Alongside Beckham, the Giants will also evaluate JuJu Smith-Schuster, Anthony Miller, and Braxton Berrios on the same day. Notably, Smith-Schuster has prior experience working under Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy during their time in Kansas City last year, so he may fit in smoothly.
At 33, Beckham is eager to return to the team that drafted him in 2014. He has been working hard to secure a contract—his participation in a recent charity softball event with quarterback Jackson Dart and others shows his commitment.
But will Beckham return to the Giants? His recent visit could be a pivotal step.
The Giants find themselves in need of receiving talent after losing Gunner Olszewski, who is believed to have suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
While Beckham may not contribute on special teams like Olszewski or Berrios, he is a player that Giants coach John Harbaugh admires. There’s also some uncertainty surrounding Malik Nabors, who is still recovery from surgeries on his ACL and related scar tissue.
As for the Eagles, they are now in a position to acquire star receiver AJ Brown.
A newly implemented salary cap structure allowing for trading of star players goes into effect on June 1. This change will relieve the Eagles from bearing the burden of dead cap weight associated with a trade in the upcoming season and will enable them to spread those costs over several years.
If they had attempted to trade Brown before June 1, it would have meant facing a hefty $43.4 million in dead money charges. Fortunately, this amount will decrease to $16.3 million starting Monday, making the trade easier to manage.
Reports indicate that the Eagles have been engaged in discussions with several teams regarding Brown since before the NFL Draft, with the New England Patriots frequently emerging as a potential trade partner. However, there’s a snag: the Eagles want a first-round pick in return, while the Patriots are hesitant to part with theirs for 2027.
This situation highlights the Eagles’ desire to capitalize on Brown’s market value without undervaluing his talent, even as they face pressure to make a decision. The question arises: why would Philadelphia consider trading a player still at the top of his game at 29?
There have been indications of frustration from Brown regarding his position within the Eagles’ offense, particularly during a season characterized by a run-heavy strategy that focused heavily on star rusher Saquon Barkley.
Brown’s discontent has been noted, with public and subtle expressions of his feelings toward both his role and quarterback Jalen Hurts. This ongoing narrative has brought about distractions, especially concerning his contract, putting him as one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league despite some apparent unhappiness.
Many within the league, fans, and commentators aren’t surprised by the discussions of a trade, given how the Eagles have been bolstering their receiving roster throughout the offseason, seemingly bracing for a future without Brown. As of Monday morning, that future appears to be drawing closer.
