NFL teams are gearing up for the free agency negotiation window, which begins Monday at noon ET. Teams have been working hard to make trades and prepare for the coming frenzy.
League executives and coaches are buzzing about a huge potential payday for Alec Pierce and the market for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. There is also intel on the Eagles’ ambitious plans and their price for A.J. Brown, as well as what the Cowboys offered for Maxx Crosby before the Ravens ultimately pulled off a trade for the star edge rusher.
Cowboys’ Failed Crosby Bid
The Las Vegas Raiders leveraged the highest bidders to squeeze maximum draft capital out of the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes, leaving the Dallas Cowboys disappointed. Dallas kept a hard line throughout. 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 prioritised picks.
After dealing first- and second-round picks for Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, Dallas set hard limits for how far it would go for Crosby, despite the pain associated with losing him. One Dallas source said of the Crosby pursuit: “We loved him.” This was a player the Cowboys eyed for a long time.
The Chicago Bears monitored the situation, but the sense was they weren’t major players in the end.
That Baltimore, one of the league’s most draft-oriented teams, was willing to give up two firsts is a bit shocking. Green Bay, which has a similar discipline and philosophy, gave up two first-round selections for Micah Parsons in August, serving as a reminder of just how crucial elite pass rushers are to contention for teams in win-now windows.
Dallas must now pivot to free agency to land its pass rusher. It has monitored Trey Hendrickson dating back to the trade deadline. He’s now a free agent. Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Boye Mafe will be firmly on Dallas’ radar in the coming days.
One person involved in the trade made an interesting point about the Patriots’ chances at Crosby: ‘No way Tom [Brady] was sending Maxx to [Mike] Vrabel.”
Eagles’ A.J. Brown Price Tag
The Philadelphia Eagles are worth watching for reasons beyond A.J. Brown. Philly is asking for a steep price for Brown — one executive said it wants a first- and second-round pick for him. Perhaps that changes. New England is in the mix.
While I never sensed Philly heavily pursued Crosby, the Eagles are active in the pass-rush market. People inside the league believe Philly is attempting
Wide Receiver and Running Back Markets
- League executives and coaches are buzzing about a huge potential payday for Alec Pierce.
- The market for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is also generating significant interest.
Make sure you visit our free agency tracker throughout the week to check on the latest moves throughout the league.