Receiver's Market Early In Free Agency Could Favor Eagles' A.J. Brown

The free-agent market opened at noon, and it didn’t take long for receivers to come flying off the shelves, something that could benefit the Eagles in their quest to trade A.J. Brown and possibly revisit trade talks with the New England Patriots.

It started with the Indianapolis Colts bringing back Alex Pierce on a whopper of a deal, four years for $116 million. Not bad for a player who had his first 1,000-yard season last year, his fourth NFL season, just squeaking over that mark with 1,003 yards.

Others followed, including the Eagles’ free agent, Jahan Dotson, who will head south to the Atlanta Falcons for a tidy two-year deal worth $15 million that can grow to $17M, of which $10M is guaranteed. The Falcons also signed another former Eagles receiver, Olamide Zaccheus, though the terms of that deal have not been reported.

The Raiders gave Jailan Nailor a three-year deal for $35M, $23M of which is guaranteed. Nailor, a sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2022, hasn’t even had a 500-yard season, yet, though his career yards per catch average is 15.4.

The Giant’s Wan’Dale Robinson was also removed from the market with a four-year contract from the Tennessee Titans for $78M, with $38M guaranteed. Like Pierce, Robinson had his first 1,000-yard season just last year, when he edge over that barrier with 1,014 yards.

A.J. Brown Trade Talk Could Fire Up Again

Then there’s Mike Evans, who fled the Bucs after 12 years with the Bucs. Evans’ string of 1,000-yard seasons was snapped last year when an injury limited him to eight games. Terms of the deal are not reported, but it is believed to be for three years for about $20M per year.

Brown’s track record is much more accomplished than all of those except Evans. Granted, the Eagles superstar will turn 30 in June, and his production has slipped since he rewrote the Eagles’ record book with 1,496 yards receiving in 2022, his first year in Philly. Since then, he has had seasons of 1,456, 1,079, and, last year, 1,003.

Still, there has been a lot of angst about exactly what the Eagled can get in a deal for Brown. They are asking for a first-round pick and more. That seems fair given what happened in the first two hours of the free-agent market opening.

The issue is the contract and the dead-cap hit it would take to move him before June 1, and the exorbitant salary cap charge. The financial hit goes down easier if the deal can be consummated after June 1, which means the draft capital would have to be for next year, and that doesn’t help the Eagles replace Brown this year.

The NFL doesn’t allow teams to post-date trades after June 1, though a release can be post-dated after that date. The Eagles are not releasing Brown; it just seems to be an odd rule that allows a release to be post-dated after June 1, but not a trade.

There were reports that general manager Howie Roseman was trying to be creative with a deal for Brown, but talks cooled with the Patriots. Maybe they will heat up again, with New England not hitting on any of the key free agents, so far.