Patriots Emerge as Real Threat to Poach Eagles Fan Favorite

Things are going to heat up in a big way over the next few days across the National Football League.

Free agency will begin on March 9 and teams are getting ready ahead of time. There have already been a few big moves made across the league. The Kansas City Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets traded Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots opted to release Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs. There's plenty more to come and the Philadelphia Eagles certainly will be involved in the action.

The Eagles have been at the center of trade rumors around wide receiver AJ Brown, but there's a lot more to think about. For example, the tight end room. Dallas Goedert is scheduled to hit the open market. After racking up 11 touchdowns in 2025, it'd be hard to lose the veteran pass-catcher. But if the Eagles don't get a deal done before March 9, there will be tight-end-needy teams out there in need of someone like Goedert.

Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald made a list of six tight ends the Patriots "could sign" and had Goedert as the top option on the list.

The Eagles TE is going to be a hot commodity

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) carries the ball for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

"Top targets," Callahan wrote. "Dallas Goedert. Ht/Wt: 6-5, 256. Age: 31. Projected contract: $12 million per year. Even in the back nine of his career, Goedert remains one of the best tight ends in the league. He had 64 catches for 624 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns last season. He’s still more receiver-first than dominant blocker, but his combination of strong hands, route-running and size will appeal to most, if not every, team in the market for a tight end.

"The odds of him landing in New England feel low, though rumblings about whether he will re-sign in Philadelphia have been mixed so far this offseason. The Patriots would also like to get younger at this position, but Goedert may be too good to pass up if the stars align. Those stars would be as follows: a reasonable, short-term contract, Goedert wants a change of scenery and to play for Mike Vrabel and/or with Drake Maye."

The Patriots have been the team most consistently linked to Brown as well. With Diggs being released, that opened up more salary cap space for New England, which isn't great for Philadelphia. Imagine if the Patriots were to sign Goedert and trade for Brown? That certainly would be a nightmare for Philadelphia fans.