In just over 24 hours, the NFL’s legal tampering period begins, and the true start to free agency will have arrived.
And if the latest rumors are any indication, football fans are in for a wild ride.
The league’s tampering period opens at noon on Monday, March 9 and already the speculation about player movement is rampant. This comes with Friday night’s blockbuster trade between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens as a backdrop, as the Ravens sent a pair of first-round picks — including the No. 14 pick in this year’s NFL Draft — to Las Vegas in exchange for Maxx Crosby.
What else might we see tomorrow? Let’s dive into the latest rumors.
Commanders expected to be active
After making a surprising run to the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago, the Washington Commanders crashed back to Earth a year ago. Jayden Daniels, coming off a tremendous rookie season, battled injuries throughout the year and the Commanders limped to a 5-12 finish.
But Washington has the fourth-most cap space in the league (more than $80 million in effective cap space according to Over the Cap) and with several needs to address, the Commanders are going to be active over the next few days. Two positions at the top of their list are wide receiver and running back, with Rico Dowdle and Mike Evans named as potential targets for the Commanders in the coming hours.
Cowboys pivoting after Maxx Crosby trade
The Baltimore Ravens were not the only team looking to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Raiders. Another franchise that tried to land the standout pass rusher was one that helped set the table for the Raiders’ asking price.
Last year it was Dallas that traded away a star pass rusher, when they sent Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a pair of first-round picks and stalwart defensive tackle Kenny Clark. But according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys were not willing to pay a similar price for Crosby.
“Dallas kept a hard line throughout,” wrote Fowler after the Crosby trade. “The franchise wasn’t willing to part with two first-round picks, hoping its 12th pick in April’s draft, plus a future second-rounder, would be enough to entice Las Vegas. Dallas was also willing to package a veteran player to sweeten the deal, but Vegas wasn’t interested in that. The Raiders prioritized picks.”
But with a need on the edge, Dallas now has to shift focus. Trey Hendrickson remains a potential target for the Cowboys, as Dallas has been checking on his availability dating back to last year’s trade deadline. Other options include Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, and Boye Mafe.
A.J. Brown trade rumors persist
Last week we addressed the financial implications of any A.J. Brown trade, outlining why teams interested in the wide receiver might have to be a little patient over the next few weeks, if not months.
Still, the rumors persist.
The New England Patriots seem to be at the front of any queue that is forming for the wide receiver, and according to Philadelphia-area radio host Anthony Gargano, the team made an offer of a first- and a third-round pick for the receiver that was rejected by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
“I do know that the Patriots have made an offer for A.J.,” Gargano said on his “The Anthony Gargano Show” Friday. “It’s around a one and a three (first-round and third-round NFL Draft picks). Not sure if the one is this year or next year, but I hear it’s a one and a three, and [Eagles general manager] Howie [Roseman] said no.”
Later in Friday’s show, Gargano spoke with NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, who noted that while the Eagles are not budging on their asking price (of a first- and a second-round pick), the Patriots could decide to move on in a few days.
“Howie is holding firm,” Garafolo said. “Now, really, all eyes are toward New England, right now, if that’s a possibility. You know the connection there. It’s been talked about, and they definitely have been talking to him. There’s no question in my mind, and they have to make a decision, because they’re coming up on free agency here and Alec Pierce has been a guy that’s been mentioned in connection to New England. … Even though there’s not supposed to be, I’m sure there’s been talk between the Patriots and Alec Pierce.”
If the Patriots do shift their focus, then it is likely that Brown remains in Philadelphia for 2026. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport noted on Thursday night that it “certainly seems” like Brown will be playing for one of two teams next year: The Patriots, or the Eagles.
Romeo Doubs and Quay Walker rumors
Two players could be on their way out of Green Bay: Wide receiver Romeo Doubs and linebacker Quay Walker.
We can start with the linebacker, who sparked a bevy of rumors when he wiped anything Packers-related from his social media channels late last week.
Covering sports in the social media era is a joy, but I digress …
Add to that the fact that the Packers added veteran Zaire Franklin in a trade over the weekend, and the evidence indicates that Walker is likely going to be playing elsewhere next season. While the Packers “wanted to keep” Walker and “made several runs at re-signing him” ahead of the trade, according to Tom Pelissero, it looks as if Walker is going to hit the open market tomorrow:
A team to watch here? The Dallas Cowboys. Dallas has a need at linebacker and while the Cowboys have been linked to Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles throughout the pre-draft process, his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine could mean he comes off the board before Dallas is even on the clock in the first round at No. 12.
As for Doubs, the wide receiver grew into something of a No. 1 role with the Packers a year ago, catching 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns. Brown, Alec Pierce, and Mike Evans are getting the bulk of attention, but expect Doubs to have a competitive market for his services. The Patriots could look to him as a Plan B if a trade for Brown cannot be completed, and teams such as the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers are worth watching when it comes to Doubs.
The latest on Alec Pierce
Alec Pierce’s emergence as a explosive playmaker for the Indianapolis Colts has made the young wide receiver one of the hottest players in this free agency market.
While Pierce wants to stay in Indianapolis given the chemistry he has developed with Daniel Jones — who was just hit with the transition tag by the Colts — teams with cap space to burn could make a very competitive offer for his services. As noted by Fowler, teams could put an offer of “at least $27 million per year” in front of the receiver, which would be tough for Indianapolis to match.
The Tennessee Titans are perhaps the favorites here, given the cap space that general manager Mike Borgonzi has to work with. Indianapolis has the most cap space in the NFL right now, with more than $100 million in effective cap space at their disposal.
Eagles have a Jaelan Phillips backup plan
As noted above, pass rusher Jaelan Phillips is a player teams like the Cowboys are keeping an eye on. After the Eagles traded for him last season, Phillips is set to hit free agency this week.
But general manager Howie Roseman is keen to keep him in Philadelphia, even though the financials could be difficult. At the moment the Eagles have just over $7 million in effective cap space, which could prove detrimental to a new deal.
If Phillips does leave town, Roseman could pivot to a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for Jonathan Greenard.
The Vikings are in an even worse financial position than Philadelphia, as Minnesota is currently over the cap as the new league year looms. Minnesota has made several key moves to get their financial house in order — restructuring contracts with Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, Byron Murphy, and T.J. Hockenson in recent days — but they have reportedly made Greenard available via a trade.
“The Eagles are believed to have inquired about Minnesota’s Jonathan Greenard,” Fowler reported. “The Vikings have received many inquiries on Greenard, who will be far cheaper to acquire than (Maxx) Crosby. A Day 2 pick probably gets a deal done.
“But complicating matters is Greenard’s contract. Teams say he wants a new deal. His current contract is set to pay him $38 million over the next two years. (Boye) Mafe is also considered a viable edge option if the Phillips deal doesn’t materialize.”
