A.J. Brown grateful Titans traded him to Eagles but feels 'a little sad' for Treylon Burks

In 2021, the Tennessee Titans were one of the best teams in the NFL. They defeated the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams en route to acquiring the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Then, the franchise made a decision it still hasn't recovered from.

During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Titans traded star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the No. 18 and No. 101 overall picks. Extension talks had hit a snag, and Titans general manager Jon Robinson ultimately did something he never planned on doing: trade his No. 1 wide receiver away.

There's no question who won this trade. In fact, CBS Sports ranked it as a top-five worst player trade since 2000. Brown got paid by the Eagles, twice, and won a Super Bowl. He has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in all three seasons with Philly, which is tied with Mike Quick for the longest such streak in franchise history. 

As for the Titans, they used that No. 18 overall pick from the Eagles to draft wide receiver Treylon Burks. He hasn't played more than 11 games in any of his three NFL seasons due to injury and has caught just one touchdown. After tearing his ACL last year, Burks broke his collarbone in a recent training camp session. The Titans waived him following his most recent injury, and he reverted back to Titans' injured reserve after clearing waivers.

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Brad Crawford

During a recent interview with Pardon My Take, Brown said he was glad Tennessee shipped him to Philly, but he does feel bad for what Burks went through. 

"I'm grateful that happened," Brown said, via Pro Football Talk. "I like to say that I outgrew that situation at Tennessee. I'm glad this happened, because I felt like I was meant to shine. We needed a big team with a big market and I think this is the right place and the best fit for me. I am a little sad for Treylon Burks. I wish he could get healthy, because he is a good kid and I talk to him numerous times. I've got his number. It sucks to see it go down like that."

Burks was a first-round talent, but the Arkansas product was expected to immediately fill Brown's shoes since he was drafted to replace him. Fans wanted him to live up to the standard that Brown set during his time in Tennessee. That did not happen. 

After trading Brown, the Titans would register their first losing season since 2015. Tennessee has gotten worse each year, going from 7-10, to 6-11, to a league-worst 3-14 in 2024. From the No. 1 seed in the AFC to the No. 1 overall pick, it happened in the blink of an eye.