The NFL’s negotiating window (AKA the “legal tampering” oxymoron) officially began at noon today, March 9. All impending free agents are now permitted to have contact with every team in the league.
The biggest news development to occur right after the window opened, however, involved a top free agent re-signing with his own club. Alec Pierce is staying with the Indianapolis Colts on a four-year contract worth $114 million, according to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Wowza.
Why is this news relevant to the Philadelphia Eagles? Well, the New England Patriots are in the market for a No. 1 wide receiver, especially after cutting ties with Stefon Diggs. There’s obviously been a lot of talk about their potential interest in A.J. Brown but it sounded like they might pivot to signing Pierce.
That alternative is clearly no longer available to them. It doesn’t mean they don’t have other options they could go to instead of trading for Brown. And it doesn’t mean they’ll definitely meet the Eagles’ asking price in a trade.
But the Eagles’ leverage was only helped by Pierce staying in Indy. The framework of a Brown deal was also aided by D.J. Moore being sent to the Buffalo Bills for as much as a second-round pick. If he’s going for that much, Brown should be at least worth a first-round pick … and more.
Perhaps the Pats will feel pressured to cave and give the Eagles what they want. We’ll see.