Eagles Trading WR A.J. Brown Seen As ‘Inevitable’
MARCH 14: While a Brown deal didn’t happen in the often active first week of free agency, his exit via trade is still seen “as inevitable,” according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio’s source claims the team could be “careening toward a potential cap mess in 2027” if Brown stays in Philadelphia for the 2026 season. It appears to be a question of when a trade will happen (before or after June 1), not if.
The aforementioned concerns of dead money still exist. But thanks to the Panthers keeping a massive Jaelan Phillips charge off Philly’s books, there is some belief in the building that the Eagles are more equipped to carry the dead money now, if they choose to ship out Brown before June 1. The advantage of doing so would be to give the personnel department a better idea of what the roster will look like in 2026. Plus, potentially acquiring 2026 draft capital in the trade could help the Eagles quickly fill the hole left by Brown’s departure. It’s a waiting game at the moment, but how long it lasts appears to be in the hands of the Eagles’ front office.
MARCH 13: The Eagles’ A.J. Brown trade talks are on hold for the time being. After engaging in “serious conversations” with the Rams and Patriots, the Eagles have decided to retain Brown for now, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. If a trade materializes, it won’t happen until around June, Russini adds.
Dealing Brown before June would come at a severe cost to Philadelphia. The Eagles would absorb a $43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for a receiver. They would also lose $20.12MM in cap room.
A post-June 1 deal would be reminiscent of the Falcons trading star wideout Julio Jones to the Titans in 2021. With Jones then entering his age-32 season, the Falcons dealt him and a sixth-rounder for a second- and a fourth-rounder.
In the event general manager Howie Roseman pulls the trigger then, the Eagles would spread Brown’s dead money over two years. While the Eagles would face a $16.35MM charge in 2026 and a $27.1MM fee in ’27, they would save $7MM on their cap next season.
Roseman has reportedly held out for a package consisting of at least a first- and second-rounder for Brown, but it does not appear anyone will bite before April’s draft. The Rams already dealt their original first-round pick away in acquiring former Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie last week. Los Angeles still has another first-rounder (No. 13 overall, originally Atlanta’s selection), and GM Les Snead has never been shy to ship out top picks for immediate upgrades. However, that may be too pricey for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Brown.
If the Rams do acquire Brown before the season, it would give them an embarrassment of riches at receiver. Head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford would have Brown, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as a trio for at least one season. While Brown is under contract through 2029, Nacua and Adams are on schedule to become free agents next year. In all likelihood, though, the Rams will work out a massive extension with Nacua before then.
The reigning AFC champion Patriots, meanwhile, are in line to keep the 31st pick. In heading to New England, Brown would reunite with Mike Vrabel, who was his coach in Tennessee from 2019-21. The two still have a strong relationship, but the Patriots have less urgency to meet the Eagles’ demands after adding former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $80MM contract in free agency.
If the Eagles are shutting down talks until the summer, other teams could enter the race for Brown by then. Aside from the Patriots, the three-time Pro Bowler’s wish list reportedly features the Bills, Chargers and Chiefs. None of those three clubs have pursued Brown with much gusto, but perhaps circumstances will change a few months from now.
Eagles DE Brandon Graham To Play In 2026?
Eagles edge rusher Brandon Graham retired last offseason only to reverse course and rejoin his longtime team in October. This year may not contain any such back-and-forth, as the 37-year-old is already talking about his plans to play in 2026.
“Hopefully we can win another [Super Bowl] in my last season coming up,” Graham said this week (via NBC Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro), indicating that he will return for the 2026 season, his 17th in the NFL.
Graham has spent every year of his career in Philadelphia, which featured championships after the 2017 and 2024 seasons. He has logged 215 appearances (106 starts) with 79.5 sacks and 128 tackles for loss, though he only has 9.5 sacks and 12 TFLs in the last three years. In 2025, he appeared in nine games with a 19% snap share, the lowest of his career, but still chipped in three sacks, though the season did feature his worst grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Graham’s current contract with the Eagles is set to void on June 3, per OverTheCap, giving the two sides plenty of time to agree on a new deal. Philadelphia let Jaelan Phillips walk in free agency, and though they signed Arnold Ebiketie to a one-year deal, they still need more depth off the edge. Their outside linebacker room is currently made up of Ebiketie, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt, along with Jose Ramirez, a 2023 sixth-round pick who has only appeared in four games, all in 2024 for the Buccaneers.
Keeping Graham around for another year would maintain some veteran experience in a relatively young group, and he only cost the team $2.44MM in 2025. He will likely receive a similar amount to return to the Eagles’ locker room as a key leader for a bounce-back effort in 2026 after last year’s disappointing first-round playoff exit.
Eagles Push Back Dallas Goedert’s Void Date
MARCH 13: It certainly seems like the sides are still interested in working together. Goedert’s void date has now been pushed back to Monday, Berman tweets. Philly’s previous deadline of this afternoon will not be met, but the parties will presumably continue negotiating this weekend.
MARCH 12: The Eagles added two tight ends during the legal tampering period, re-signing Grant Calcaterra and adding Jaguars cap casualty Johnny Mundt. But Dallas Goedert is still on the team’s radar.
Philadelphia made the move to push back the void date on Goedert’s contract, with The Athletic’s Zack Berman indicating it has been moved to Friday. As Connor Byrne’s Eagles Offseason Outlook detailed, Goedert is set to count $20.49MM in dead money if not re-signed. The Eagles, however, now have a bit more time to work out a deal before that money hits their cap sheet.
Goedert’s deal was to void at midnight March 11, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who notes the veteran tight end — as a result of this move — is not yet a first-time free agent. Although the Eagles gave Goedert a pay cut after trade rumors swirled last year, the eight-year veteran wants to finish his career in Philly.
Howie Roseman said at the Combine the Eagles want to bring back Goedert, who turned 31 earlier this year. Though, Berman predicted earlier this offseason Goedert would depart. The all-around TE talent has battled various injuries during his time in Eastern Pennsylvania but has been one of the better players at the position. Last season showed Goedert still has plenty left in the tank, as his 11 touchdown receptions were the most by an Eagles tight end in a season.
The Eagles brought the South Dakota State alum back on a $4.25MM pay cut last year, but he still made $10MM. The Eagles had given Goedert a four-year, $57MM extension shortly after trading Zach Ertz to the Cardinals in 2021. Goedert has started in two Super Bowls and averaged more than 11 yards per catch in four seasons — most recently doing so in 2024 (11.8). He totaled a career-high 60 receptions for 591 yards in 2025.
The Buccaneers took Cade Otton off the market by re-signing him; that move came after the Falcons franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts. Travis Kelce is predictably returning to the Chiefs, after rumors of a possible defection emerged, while Chig Okonkwo (Commanders) and Isaiah Likely (Ravens) are off the market. Goedert and David Njoku represent probably the top options left. TE-needy teams are surely monitoring this situation, and it is possible Njoku’s market is affected by the Goedert delay as well.
With Mundt a blocking tight end and Calcaterra totaling 76 receiving yards in 15 games last season, the Eagles would carry a glaring TE need if they did not re-sign Goedert. While Philly is pursuing an edge rusher — being in talks with Jonathan Greenard after a Trey Hendrickson pursuit failed — the team looks to still have Goedert in its plans.
Eagles Unlikely To Trade WR A.J. Brown Before June?
Through the outset of the new league year, no A.J. Brown trade has been worked out. The Eagles‘ preference was to resolve this situation at the start of free agency, but much of the league’s high-profile deals have already taken place no swap has taken place. 
Any Brown trade worked out before June 1 would result in massive dead cap charges, something which of course represents motivation for patience on the Eagles’ part. According to SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora, there is now an expectation among NFL executives a swap – if one is to take place at all – will not occur until after that date. There is still interest in this case nevertheless.
The Patriots have been named as a strong suitor for Brown both before and after the free agent arrival of Romeo Doubs. New England is indeed still regarded as one of the logical landing spots for Brown, La Canfora adds, although any trade will not come at a discount. The Eagles have maintained a high asking price, and NFL evaluators contend “more than a first-round pick” will be required for GM Howie Roseman to accept an offer in the near future.
That price may be lowered after the draft, by which point the number of teams willing to acquire Brown will no doubt drop. The three-time Pro Bowler is under contract for four more years, although 2026 is the final season which includes guaranteed base pay. Brown has topped 1,000 yards in six of his seven NFL seasons, including each of his three in Philadelphia. Talk regarding dissatisfaction with the Eagles’ offense has been ongoing for a lengthy period, however, leading many to see this offseason as the time for a parting of ways.
The Rams were previously mentioned as a team to watch on the Brown front. They have since been busy, adding Trent McDuffie via trade and fellow former Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson in free agency. In spite of that, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports Los Angeles continues to monitor the situation. She cautions that conversations with Roseman about Brown have slowed since the McDuffie trade, one which saw the Rams part with one of their two 2026 first-round picks.
Los Angeles has extension candidate Puka Nacua and veteran Davante Adams in place at the receiver spot. The latter only has one year remaining on his contract, however, so adding a long-term replacement could be viable for the Rams (which was not recently mentioned as one of the teams on Brown’s wish list). The team owns pick No. 13, a far more attractive selection than New England’s No. 31. Whether or not a swap based on either of those picks can be worked out will be worth monitoring.
Eagles Remove Year From G Landon Dickerson’s Contract
After considering an early retirement, Landon Dickerson joined Lane Johnson in agreeing to return to the Eagles. But the Pro Bowl guard will no longer be tied to the same contract.
Philadelphia is removing a year from Dickerson’s deal, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The sides’ revised contract — a two-year deal worth around $36MM — removes the 2028 season. Dickerson had been tied to a four-year, $84MM pact and was previously due $39MM from 2026-27. A slight pay cut appears in the works, with Fowler adding incentives would help Dickerson reach his original amount.
Dickerson, 27, is one of the NFL’s best guards. The three-time Pro Bowler carried a $10MM guarantee for 2026 and is due $15.7MM this year, per Fowler. But the Eagles stand to save a bit of cap space; Dickerson was tied to a $10.28MM number. That is fairly low, but the Eagles regularly backload their deals through option bonuses and void years. Dickerson’s pact already included four void years.
Coming into the day with just more than $11MM in cap space, the Eagles have been negotiating with the Vikings on a Jonathan Greenard trade. They also moved Dallas Goedert‘s void date to Friday, buying more time to re-sign the soon-to-be UFA tight end. Philly dropped in late in the Trey Hendrickson pursuit after being in the Maxx Crosby derby. It seems like the team will add an edge rusher soon, and a chunk of cap space will be necessary for such a move.
Missing much of training camp due to meniscus surgery, Dickerson returned in time for Week 1 (he had already undergone offseason knee surgery). But he played hurt often in 2025. The five-year veteran missed time because of an ankle injury as well, though he did suit up for 15 games and Philly’s wild-card contest. The injury-plagued season led to the former second-round pick considering retirement. That would have dealt a blow to the Eagles’ O-line, but for one more year at least, they will have Dickerson and Johnson together. The latter will play an age-36 season in 2026.
The Eagles have Dickerson, Johnson, Cam Jurgens and Jordan Mailata signed beyond 2026. Only RG Tyler Steen is in a contract year. But Johnson’s age and Dickerson’s retirement flirtation create some instability for one of the NFL’s best position groups, one that lost longtime leader Jeff Stoutland this offseason.
Eagles To Sign LB Arnold Ebiketie
After completing his rookie contract in Atlanta, Arnold Ebiketie is heading to Philly. The free agent linebacker is signing with the Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It will be a one-year deal for the former second-round pick. Ebiketie can earn up to $7.3MM this upcoming season, including $4.3MM in guaranteed money.
The 38th-overall pick in 2022, Ebiketie didn’t necessarily live up to his draft billing in Atlanta. He started only 12 of his 67 games across four seasons, appearing in less than half of his team’s defensive snaps. He did show some ability to get after the QB, including a stretch between 2023 and 2024 when he totaled 12 sacks.
His counting stats took a step back in 2025, as the 27-year-old finished with career-lows in sacks (two) and QB hits (six). Pro Football Focus was generally a fan of his performance, however, ranking him 27th among 119 qualifying edge defenders. While the site identifies pass-rushing as his best skill, they also gave him solid marks for his run-stuffing ability.
Ebiketie will join an Eagles squad that didn’t have a single defender with more than seven sacks last season. The team has lost linebackers Nakobe Dean and Jaelan Phillips, who combined for six sacks in 2025. Ultimately, the newest addition may find himself replacing Josh Uche as the primary backup to Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.
Eagles To Sign CB Jonathan Jones
Following a one-year stop in Washington, Jonathan Jones is sticking in the NFC East. The veteran cornerback is signing a one-year deal with the Eagles, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jones joined the Commanders last offseason following nearly a decade-long stint in New England. He started seven of his 12 appearances in Washington, compiling 41 tackles and five passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 100th among 112 qualifying cornerbacks. Jones spent an early chunk of the season on IR while nursing a hamstring injury.
Prior to his stop in Washington, Jones made 132 appearances in nine seasons with the Patriots. A 2016 undrafted free agent, Jones evolved from a special teamer into a key defender in New England. He earned the bulk of his 71 Patriots starts during his final three years with the organization, including a 2023 campaign where he ranked 21st among 127 qualifiers on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings.
Jones also got into eight playoff games with the Patriots, earning a pair of Super Bowl rings along the way. When all was said and done, his tenure with the organization ended with him having compiled 477 stops, 11 interceptions, and 10 forced fumbles.
After primarily playing in the slot early in his career, Jones has transitioned to the outside over the past few seasons. He could serve in either role in Philly, although he’ll likely find himself on the bench to start games. Quinyon Mitchell and new addition Riq Woolen will be penciled in for the outside while Cooper DeJean soaks up most of the snaps out of the slot.
Eagles To Re-Sign P Braden Mann
Despite the NFL still being in the first week of free agency, several teams are making punter moves. The Eagles are among them, reaching an agreement to re-sign Braden Mann.
Mann agreed to a four-year, $14MM accord, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Eagles’ punter over the past three seasons, Mann is now signed through 2029. Mann will see $7MM guaranteed on this deal.
Rebounding after losing his job midway through a Jets rookie contract, Mann is now tied for fifth in per-year punter salaries. The Giants just moved the bar to $4.1MM by reuniting John Harbaugh with Jordan Stout, and the Eagles are spending bigger than they normally do at this spot. As The Athletic’s Zach Berman points out, the Eagles have not paid a punter top-10 money during Howie Roseman‘s GM tenure. Mann is going into his fourth season as Philly’s punter; the Eagles have not seen a punter stick around that long since Donnie Jones (2013-17).
Mann averaged a career-best 49.9 yards per punt last season. After not faring as well in the less friendly MetLife Stadium confines, Mann has averaged at least 48.8 yards per boot in each of his Eagles seasons. Mann’s 49.9 number ranked sixth last season.
The Jets drafted Mann in the 2020 sixth round out of Texas A&M, but veteran Thomas Morstead replaced him in 2023. The Steelers claimed Mann in April 2023 but waived him months later. The Eagles scooped up the struggling specialist via a September 2023 practice squad deal. Mann, 28, then replaced Arryn Siposs and has punted in every Eagles game since.
Ravens To Sign DE Trey Hendrickson
Making the decision to wave off the Maxx Crosby trade Tuesday, the Ravens will add the best edge rusher left available. Trey Hendrickson is signing with the team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.
Hendrickson agreed to a four-year, $112MM deal with Baltimore, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That contract comes in south of where Crosby’s resides on the Raiders’ payroll. Hendrickson agreed to a contract that includes $60MM guaranteed at signing, Schefter adds. That will bring the 10th-year veteran pass rusher guarantees beyond Year 1 — something he targeted during his yearslong Bengals negotiating saga.
[RELATED: Raiders Prepared To Keep Crosby; Latest On Trade Breakdown]
Incentives can take the two-year total to $64MM, Rapoport tweets, with Schefter adding eight-, 10- and 12-sack benchmarks are in place. A $500K incentive covers Hendrickson in sacks, meaning most of this deal goes to base value. The $60MM full guarantee ranks in the top 10 at the position, though it is not yet known where Jaelan Phillips and Odafe Oweh ended up in terms of locked-in money.
The Crosby fallout may have benefited Hendrickson. Most teams viewed the 31-year-old All-Pro EDGE as being set to land a deal in the $24-$25MM-per-year range, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates $25-$27MM represented the range, helping explain why Hendrickson lingered in free agency. As of Tuesday, roughly a $10MM gap existed between Hendrickson’s camp and teams’ early offers.
As CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes, Crosby has about four years and $116MM left on his Raiders contract. The Ravens will shift to a free agent and retain their first-round picks, something the California Post’ Vincent Bonsignore notes does not appear to be going over well in some league circles. The Ravens stayed in touch with Hendrickson’s camp Tuesday, Russini adds, noting most in the building knew the ex-Bengal was set to join the team.
The Colts and Eagles are also believed to have made offers, Russini adds. An Indianapolis agreement would have reunited Hendrickson and Lou Anarumo, while Philly is still searching for a replacement for Jaelan Phillips. While those two clubs missed out, the Ravens have completed a shocking turn of events, ruffling feathers in the process.
The Bills, Buccaneers and Commanders were also involved in the Hendrickson derby, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. Philly’s involvement here is classified as a late entrance, per Fowler, who adds the Colts believed they were close. The Bucs were offering a short-term deal. Hendrickson was connected to interest in joining the Bucs, as he is an Orlando native who played college ball at Florida Atlantic.
The Bills were also involved in a Crosby trade pursuit, while the Commanders pivoted to K’Lavon Chaisson shortly before the Hendrickson-Baltimore news emerged. Washington was in this market until the end, per ESPN.com’s John Keim, explaining the Chaisson deal’s timing.
It is worth wondering when the Ravens began discussing Hendrickson. Trades are not official until the start of the new league year (3pm CT today). It can be assumed Baltimore was all-in on Crosby, but Russini adds the team was familiar with the Raiders edge rusher’s rehab timeline. Crosby is recovering from meniscus surgery, a monthslong process that is not expected to affect his Week 1 availability, and some around the league view this as simply the Ravens getting cold feet on unloading two first-round picks. Hendrickson is nearly two years older than Crosby, but not costing two first-rounders is rather significant.
The Hendrickson market looked to see a mystery team emerge Tuesday afternoon, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, who indicates teams became leery of this stealth suitor. That is widely believed to be the Ravens, who knew hours before the Raiders’ social media announcement they would be nixing the Crosby trade.
While this sets a bad precedent, such options are available to teams under a setup in which deals can be agreed to weeks in advance — as the 2021 Jared Goff–Matthew Stafford trade reminds — of the new league year before becoming official. The unraveling of the Ravens-Raiders’ Crosby trade took hours, Garafolo adds. Hendrickson came into the picture for the AFC North team at that point.
PFR’s No. 4-ranked free agent, Hendrickson scores a deal that lands between Phillips (our No. 3 FA) and Oweh in terms of AAV. His $28MM number is much better than where he was during most of his Cincinnati tenure. Hendrickson had signed a four-year, $60MM Bengals deal in 2021 before agreeing to a one-year, $21MM extension in 2023.
Hendrickson pursued an extension for years in Cincinnati, but the Bengals stood their ground and refused to offer post-Year 1 guarantees — an organizational precedent except in rare cases (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase) — during last year’s standoff. A one-year, $29MM pact ended up being the late-summer resolution. The Bengals offered their top pass rusher a backloaded three-year, $95MM deal; he passed, leading to the August raise. The Bengals were linked to a 2026 Hendrickson franchise tag, but it would have come in well north of $30MM. Cincy passed and will move on, having agreed to sign Boye Mafe.
While Crosby probably has more long-term upside, Hendrickson put together a dominant run in the 2020s. The Bengals sack ace finished back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks and has two more campaigns (2020, 2021) with at least 13. After a belated breakthrough in a contract year (2020) with the Saints, Hendrickson helped the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI in his debut Ohio season. Hendrickson recorded at least 24 QB hits from 2020-24, topping out at 36 in managing to finish as Defensive Player of the Year runner-up on a bad 2024 Cincinnati defense.
Last year, hip trouble ended up shutting Hendrickson down after five games. The four-time Pro Bowler underwent core muscle surgery in December. That adds a layer to this edge rusher switcheroo, though the Ravens obviously do not expect Hendrickson to be delayed in coming back in time for the regular season. Wherever Crosby plays in 2026, he is expected to be on the field in Week 1 as well.
Never trading a future first-round pick for a veteran player in their 30-year history, the Ravens also have not been big spenders at the EDGE position since Terrell Suggs‘ Baltimore run ended. The team franchise-tagged Matt Judon but did not re-sign him, moving to Oweh’s rookie deal and a host of veteran stopgaps. This strategy, which included an Oweh trade midway through last season, led to Baltimore ranking 30th in sacks last season. The team will bet on Hendrickson recapturing his pre-injury form, while we wait to see where Crosby will end up.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/11/26
Today’s restricted free agent and exclusive free agent tenders:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Bills: OT Ryan Van Demark
- Buccaneers: RB Sean Tucker
- Seahawks: WR Jake Bobo
- Titans: WR Bryce Oliver
Non-tendered:
- Eagles: FB Ben VanSumeren
- Panthers: LB Claudin Cherelus
- Patriots: LB Jack Gibbens