A.J. Brown is leaving Philadelphia.
The New England Patriots have acquired the star receiver for a first-round pick in 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2027, pending a physical, the Eagles announced on Monday.
It was the second blockbuster deal of the day, after the Rams acquired superstar defensive end Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for edge rusher Jared Verse and a 2027 first-round draft pick. Garrett is a two-time defensive player of the year who set the single-season record with 23 sacks last year.
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowl selection who spent his first three NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans and last four in Philadelphia. His 1,496 receiving yards in 2022 and 1,456 receiving yards in 2023 are the top two single-season outputs for an Eagles receiver. He also played in two Super Bowls with the Eagles, helping them win the title following the 2024 season.
But Brown appeared to grow frustrated with Philadelphia’s offense, and the team made a number of offseason moves at the receiving position that seemed to show they were prepared to move on. Those moves included a move up in the draft to select former USC star Makai Lemon in the first round.
Brown now becomes a target for third-year Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who finished second in league MVP voting and led his team to the Super Bowl last season.
In other NFL receiver news, Odell Beckham Jr. is returning to where it all started for him.
The New York Giants are bringing back the veteran receiver 12 years after drafting him with the No. 12 overall pick in 2014 and seven years after trading him to the Cleveland Browns during the 2019 offseason.
Known for his spectacular, often one-handed catches, Beckham went on to make key contributions during his half-season with the Rams in 2021. In eight regular season games, Beckham had 27 catches for 305 yards with five touchdowns.
New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. reacts during a 2018 game against the Carolina Panthers.
(Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
During four postseason games that season, Beckham had 27 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns, including a 17-yard touchdown reception during the Rams’ 23-20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection also has played for the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins and did not play in 2022 and 2025.
The Giants gave quarterback Jaxson Dart a second new veteran target on Monday when they also signed former USC standout JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 33 catches for 345 yards and a touchdown last season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Also on Monday, the Rams made a blockbuster move when they acquired superstar defensive end Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for edge rusher Jared Verse and a 2027 first-round draft pick. Garrett is a two-time defensive player of the year who set the single-season record with 23 sacks last year.
It has been a busy couple of months since the NFL’s so-called legal tampering period started March 9 and the new league year began, meaning contracts were allowed to be signed, two days later.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, then immediately joined his teammates on the field for voluntary organized team activities.
The 42-year-old Super Bowl champion will be back for his 22nd NFL season and second in Pittsburgh. Last year, Rodgers led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and the AFC North title, completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Associated Press offensive player of the year Jaxon Smith-Njigba became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history after signing a four-year, $168-million extension ($120 million guaranteed) with the Seattle Seahawks. The average of $42.15 million a year tops the previous high for a receiver, Ja’Marr Chase’s $40.25 million per year with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In March, the Seahawks agreed to a three-year, $51-million deal to keep receiver Rashid Shaheed. Seattle will also retain receiver Jake Bobo after matching a two-year offer from Jacksonville, according to multiple media reports.
One huge signing happened after a blockbuster trade fell through. The Baltimore Ravens signed former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson to a reported four-year, $112-million contract after backing out of an agreed-upon deal with star Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
On March 6, the Ravens agreed to acquire Crosby, a superstar who has registered double-digit sacks in four of his seven NFL seasons, in exchange for two first-round picks. Four days later, however, the Raiders announced that Baltimore had “backed out” of the trade agreement.
According to multiple media reports, Crosby did not pass his physical with the Ravens. The five-time Pro Bowl selection underwent surgery in January to repair torn meniscus in his left knee.
“Everything Happens For A Reason,” Crosby wrote March 11 on X. “Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back.”
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta did not mention any medical concerns that may have arisen concerning Crosby.
“You bring the player in, you try to get as much information as you can,” DeCosta said when talking to reporters March 11. “We did that, and we were not able to complete the process of acquiring the player, based on our assessment of the situation.”
Also in March, the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to acquire sixth-year quarterback Justin Fields from the New York Jets for a sixth-round draft pick to serve as a backup for three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs reportedly will pay only $3 million of Fields’ guaranteed $10-million salary for 2026, with the Jets covering the rest.
Mahomes, who had surgery in mid-December to repair tears to two ligaments in his left knee, has said doctors have told him he could be ready to play by the start of the 2026 season. Still, Fields gives the Chiefs a veteran backup quarterback after Gardner Minshew signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent.
Earlier this offseason, the Jets acquired Geno Smith — the quarterback they selected in the second round in the 2013 draft — in a trade with the Raiders to be their new starter.
Other significant deals include:
— The Dolphins traded star receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos for draft picks, including the No. 30 overall pick this year. Also, the Dolphins released longtime quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and signed former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5-million deal ($45 million guaranteed). They also traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets for a 2026 seventh-round pick.
— Quarterback Kyler Murray signed a one-year contract with the Vikings on March 12 after being released by the Cardinals earlier in the week. With Arizona still on the hook to pay Murray $36.8 million in guaranteed salary this season, Minnesota was able to sign the two-time Pro Bowl player for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million.
— The Colts and Daniel Jones agreed to a deal worth up to $100 million that will keep the quarterback in Indianapolis for the next two years. After six seasons with the New York Giants, Jones signed a one-year, $14-million deal with Indianapolis last offseason. The Colts are also keeping star receiver Alec Pierce on a deal is said to be for four years and $116 million.
— Running back Kenneth Walker III announced he would sign with the Kansas City Chiefs weeks after winning Super Bowl LX MVP honors as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. The three-year deal is worth up to $45 million.
— Veteran receiver Mike Evans agreed to a three-year contract worth up to $60.4 million ($16.3 million guaranteed) with the San Francisco 49ers. Evans has played all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making six Pro Bowls and catching 866 passes for 13,052 yards with 108 touchdowns.
— Edge rusher Jaelen Phillips agreed to a four-year, $120-million deal ($80 million guaranteed) with the Carolina Panthers. The five-year veteran was sent from Miami to Philadelphia at the trade deadline last year.
— Center Tyler Linderbaum agreed to a three-year, $81-million deal ($60 million guaranteed) with the Las Vegas Raiders. He spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens and made the Pro Bowl in each of the previous three.
— The Pittsburgh Steelers’ big pickup on the first day of free agency actually came via trade, as the team acquired veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from the Colts.
Here’s a look at some of the notable free agents who have signed or agreed to terms with each team.