After being quiet on the first day of the legal tampering period, the Philadelphia Eagles were hoping the New England Patriots were going to go back to them and make another offer for wide receiver A.J. Brown.
That narrative has completely changed now after the latest news from NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The Patriots will sign wide receiver Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $70 million contract.
New England released Stefon Diggs before free agency began, as they were looking for a number one receiver. Many expected the move to make room for Brown to come after that. That might not be the case anymore.
Patriots might not be making a trade with the Eagles for A.J. Brown
The biggest holdup with a trade is the asking price from Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. That list of demands for the trade includes a first- and second-round pick, or the potential to add another player to the deal.
Many teams had balked at the demands, seeing them as way too expensive for Brown. The Eagles see it as a loss for them, since they would lose a three-time Pro Bowler and $20 million in cap space in 2026.
One question that is being brought up now is how much does this change the Eagles and Patriots talking about a Brown trade. Roseman might have to consider either dropping the trade ask or simply moving on and accepting Brown onto the team in 2026.
At this point, Roseman can't back down, nor should he, as the Eagles have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and shouldn't be sold short because the receiver is unhappy. Philly needs to make sure they are getting the assets that match the talent level.
Read more: Howie Roseman might have a trick up his sleeve with latest Eagles trade rumor
Patriots' Doubs move is double trouble for the Eagles, as it hurts trade talks and the prospect of Philly adding him to the roster. This Brown trade talk could get much quieter in the coming days.