A.J. Brown makes odd comment about Saquon Barkley as Eagles’ drama continues
Despite going 8-2 and winning the Super Bowl, there is still a lot of negativity surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles.
At the forefront of this negativity is AJ Brown, the talented but disgruntled Eagles wide receiver who wasn’t shy about expressing frustration with his and the offense’s disappointing production through 10 games.
Brown added even more fuel to the fire Thursday when asked about speculation that he’s not the same player he once was.
“I guess Saquon isn’t the same player either,” Brown said. “I don’t care.”
Clearly, Brown highlighting Barkley’s struggles this season is not a good look. It’s yet another example of the missteps Brown has made this season, both on and off the field.
But while mentioning another teammate might not have been the best approach, Brown is right in that it would be difficult to find an Eagles offensive player performing at the level he did a year ago. If Barkley gets a “pass” for his disappointing numbers, why isn’t Brown?
The answer to that question might be rooted in the fact that — unlike Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts — Brown expresses his grievances in a multitude of ways that seem detrimental to the Eagles.
On the field, Brown often looked frustrated, sullen, down, disinterested or some combination of all four. It’s worth wondering if his negative body language has contributed to his and the Eagles’ offensive struggles this season.
Off the field, Brown has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. His recent comments on a live stream reportedly led to him having a 10-minute conversation with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie.
Brown may be the poster child for Philadelphia’s current lack of brotherly love, but he’s not alone. On Wednesday, for example, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts I had to answer questions stemming from a report that coaches and teammates became frustrated with him.
“I guess I get a lot of attention when things are going well and when things aren’t going so well,” Hurts said. “I’ve never shied away from holding myself accountable, and I think that’s exactly what I’ve chosen to do. I’m very proud of what we do on offense. I’m very proud of the way we go out on the field and play as a team and our pace. I think we have work to do, and that obviously starts with me. That’s always my approach. It’s always me looking internally first in everything we do and then, in due time, I raises me above.
Although they may be the most dysfunctional Super Bowl-caliber team since the 1995 Cowboys, the Eagles still have plenty of football ahead of them. And despite their dysfunction, Philadelphia is currently 8-2 and running away with the NFC East title.
As far as Brown is concerned, his frustration seems to come from the right place. He wants to play a bigger role in the offense to help the unit realize its full potential. His next change to achieve this will take place this Sunday in Dallas against its great rival the Cowboys.
