The NFL’s free agency negotiation window begins Monday at noon ET, and teams have been hard at work making trades and preparing 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. We also have 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.

Here’s the latest as of Sunday morning. Make sure you visit our free agency tracker throughout the week to check on the latest moves throughout the league.

Jump to:
Life after Crosby | Eagles aren’t done
WR market | RB market
Defensive focus | Commanders aggression

Maxx Crosby fallout

The Las Vegas Raiders leveraged the highest bidders to squeeze maximum draft capital out of the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes, leaving the Dallas Cowboys disappointed but ultimately justified in their decision to bow out.

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 prioritized 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. “We loved him,” said a Dallas source of the Crosby pursuit. 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. But 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 busy in new league year

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 to re-sign Phillips to a deal that would pay him well above $20 million per year. But Phillips will have a strong market if he chooses to enter free agency.

play

Is there any way the Eagles don’t trade A.J. Brown?

Mike Tannenbaum, Dan Orlovsky and Peter Schrager debate whether the Eagles should trade A.J. Brown.

As a contingency, the Eagles are believed to have inquired about Minnesota‘s Jonathan Greenard. The Vikings have received many inquiries on Greenard, who will be far cheaper to acquire than 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. Mafe is also considered a viable edge option if the Phillips deal doesn’t materialize.

With defensive tackle Jordan Davis now extended, Philly also must weigh whether to extend Jalen Carter, who is eligible for a new deal. I’m told Philly has received trade calls on Carter.

Also, Brown isn’t the only receiver potentially available. Baltimore’s Rashod Bateman, Los Angeles’ Quentin Johnston and Green Bay’s Dontayvion Wicks have come up in my talks. Teams have interest in Green Bay’s Jayden Reed, but I don’t sense the Packers would trade him at this point.

What’s next for top WRs?

Expect negotiations between Alec Pierce and the Colts to go down to the wire as the team tries to keep him off Monday’s open market.

That’s going to be a challenge. Pierce appears poised to make at least $27 million per year on a new deal. The Patriots, Commanders, Raiders and Titans are among teams in the mix.

What helps Indy’s case is that Pierce is close with Colts quarterback Daniel Jones and, if everything is equal, would like to stay in Indianapolis. There’s still hope for Indy, but Pierce’s market will dictate his direction. His upside and penchant for chunk yardage are attractive to teams.

Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs plans to hit the market. Talks with Green Bay did not result in a new deal. He’ll have several suitors. The Patriots, Commanders and Titans are closely watching his market, along with the 49ers. Doubs is considered by some evaluators to be the best all-around receiver in the group.

I’m expecting the Raiders to make a run at Rashid Shaheed depending on how the dominoes in the receiver market fall and the price point. New coach Klint Kubiak loves him. But Vegas’ bigger need is the offensive line.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain aggressive in attempting to re-sign Mike Evans. Buffalo would have been an ideal fit for Evans before the D.J. Moore trade occupied some of its available cash. The Commanders could emerge as a sleeper for Evans. Remember, he wants a quarterback and targets. Tampa remains in a good spot with Evans but is not a lock to sign him.

Tennessee has been linked to Wan’Dale Robinson. There is mutual interest, but Robinson will have other suitors.

Running backs on the move

Running back is a hotter market than usual, with the stage set by the New York Jets slapping a franchise tag worth $14.3 million on Breece Hall.

Kenneth Walker seems to be the market-setter as it stands, but Travis Etienne Jr. will be right there in the mix. Some teams I’ve talked to are setting the market’s ceiling at around $12 million. That could go up if enough teams get involved.

I’m hearing Walker will consider the Giants and Commanders among his options, with the Titans as a possibility, too. Etienne has AFC West love via Denver and Kansas City. Both of those teams could check on Walker and others, too, depending on price ranges.

play

Seahawks decide not to tag Kenneth Walker III

Brady Henderson reports on the Seahawks not tagging Kenneth Walker III, allowing him to become a free agent.

Most around the league suspect Kansas City will come away with a running back, whether one of the top players or a player in the middle tier.

Power back Rico Dowdle has been linked to the Commanders by some people around the league.

Defensive dollars

The Chicago Bears freed up around $17 million in cap space with the D.J. Moore trade, which they will need in free agency to aid the defense. Yes, they could use pass-rush help. But I don’t sense Chicago is desperate for a splashy pass rusher. Much will depend on price. Interior rush help could be the way to go. To replace Tremaine Edmunds, Alex Anzalone is a name to watch. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was with him in New Orleans and he’s good in coverage. At safety, my sense is the Bears will attempt to re-sign Kevin Byard III over the weekend but will let Jaquan Brisker walk.

The team that could prove most aggressive on the defensive free agent market is Cincinnati, which is exploring just about every position group. Edge rusher Rashan Gary is a name to watch here should the Packers move on. New Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery was with Gary in Green Bay. Cincinnati has been linked to safety Nick Cross and several defensive linemen, too.

Carolina is lurking in several markets, likely seeking pass-rush and linebacker help. Players such as edge rusher Odafe Oweh and linebacker Devin Lloyd are considered good fits for the Panthers’ defensive scheme. General manager Dan Morgan also was with Buffalo when the franchise drafted free agent linebacker Edmunds.

In command of free agency

The Commanders were listed frequently in our running back and receiver breakdowns above. The pulse inside the league is that this year could be Washington’s most active offseason of the Adam Peters era that began in 2024. The Commanders have an interest in other positions such as cornerback, edge rusher and possibly tight end. Washington has a roster with holes, nearly $90 million in cap space and star quarterback Jayden Daniels on a rookie deal. So, while the Commanders might not spend big on every position, they will be a presence.

Quick hits

• Last year, the Ravens pulled off an extension with left tackle Ronnie Stanley two days before the tampering period. Can they pull off the same with center Tyler Linderbaum? He will have the center market cornered, so if he gets to Monday, he’ll be tough to keep. The Raiders, Giants and Titans could be involved to some extent. The number should easily surpass $20 million per year.

• Soon-to-be free agent quarterback Kyler Murray could choose to be methodical in picking his next destination. Once released around the start of the new league year, he’ll want to speak to potential suitors and possibly make a few visits. Minnesota will be an option. The Colts and Falcons have talent and quarterbacks who might not be ready to start the season. That could become a factor for veteran quarterbacks weighing options, too.

• The Seahawks will attempt to re-sign safety Coby Bryant, one of the hotter names on the defensive side of the market. He has interest in returning to Seattle but will have other suitors.

• The Jets and Bengals come up often in conversations about safeties at or toward the top of the market. Kansas City’s Bryan Cook remains a key figure in this market. The Chiefs could look to backfill at the position if they lose Cook, too.

• I continue to hear that John Franklin-Myers will hit it big in free agency. He’s the top interior rusher on the market and the draft isn’t overly strong at his spot. He has several teams in the mix.

• The clock is ticking on 49ers left tackle Trent Williams, whose $38 million cap hit is a challenge. San Francisco must make a decision, and teams are wondering whether he’ll be available as a result. Common sense says San Francisco will try to work something out with the 12-time Pro Bowler.

• The Jaguars would like to re-sign corner Montaric Brown before free agency. If they can’t, San Francisco is among the teams expected to show interest.

• Linebacker Kaden Elliss has fans around the league among the previous staffs he has played for: San Francisco (defensive coordinator Raheem Morris) and Cleveland (defensive coordinator Mike Rutenburg), among others, though Cleveland has interest in re-signing Devin Bush at linebacker.

• In backup QB news, Mitchell Trubisky has garnered interest as a quality No. 2. The Titans, Bills and Jets are among teams on the radar here. One name to potentially watch as a backup in Carolina: Kenny Pickett.