There’s been a lot of hype around the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason and rightfully so. They have made moves that have been seen fondly by insiders and fans around the league. However, one of those moves may cost more than they previously thought. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that both the Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons are expected to hear the final verdict on each of their tampering investigations this week.
The Falcons case comes from their signing of former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, while the Eagles signing of Saquon Barkley from the New York Giants is under investigation. The Eagles signed Barkley to a three-year contract during the free agency window, and the move was beloved by experts and fans. However, under some strange circumstances, the NFL was alerted to the possible tampering violations and started investigating in March.
The Philadelphia Eagles Tampering Case Set to Close Soon
How it Happened
The tampering allegations surrounding Barkley’s move began in a strange, unfortunate way. Barkley’s coach back in his college days at Penn State, James Franklin, told reporters of an alleged phone call between Barkley and Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. While it doesn’t seem like anything wrong, the phone call allegedly took place during the NFL’s legal tampering window, days before the official start of free agency. During this period, NFL teams are allowed to talk to agents, but not players. Franklin’s comments opened the door for an investigation, and after three months, the verdict is likely to come this week. Barkley has denied the allegations, stating that Coach Franklin ‘misinterpreted’ his conversation with the new Eagle. He maintains the sales pitch of the Eagles was delivered to him through his agent.
Potential Consequences
According to league rules, tampering violations result in fines or loss of draft capital. The latter seems like the most likely scenario in this case. The question is just how severe could the punishment be? One of the bigger, recent tampering punishments happened to the Miami Dolphins a few years back. For tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton over multiple years, the Dolphins were docked a 2023 first-round pick and a third-round pick in 2024. The Philadelphia Eagles case isn’t as problematic as the Dolphins case was, yet the NFL doesn’t take tampering lightly. It’s hard to believe the NFL will allow the Eagles or the Falcons to get away with a slap on the wrist. Stripping the Eagles of their next first-round pick seems extreme, but it’s likely on the table. The minimum fans should suspect is the docking of a day two draft pick in 2025.
While it’s not the best start to an otherwise highly praised signing of Saquon Barkley, if the Eagles can dodge a severe punishment, it will be forgotten quickly. Severe punishments such as losing a first-rounder, or multiple valuable draft picks will definitely sting. However, the Eagles signed Barkley because they think he can put them over the edge. If Barkley meets or exceeds expectations, he’ll prove to be worth the contract and the punishment that goes with it. While one tampering violation isn’t disastrous, it could keep an unwanted spotlight on the Philadelphia Eagles front office. They will likely have to move a bit more cautiously in the future, to prevent this situation from happening again.
Main Image: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
