Did Eagles Cheat To Sign Saquon Barkley? A Cowboys Free Agency View
FRISCO - The Philadelphia Eagles are denying the allegation that there was premature and illegal contact between general manager Howie Roseman and running back Saquon Barkley during the negotiating window before the start of free agency. ... an action that if true is tampering and will merit punishment.
The Atlanta Falcons are being accused of a similar tampering effort to recruit quarterback Kirk Cousins, who they eventually signed this week, and if tampering is discovered? Punishment.
What does any of this have to do with Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys? Read on ...
How did the possible violation involving Barkley come to light? He's a Penn State alum and a Pennsylvania native, and after he agreed to terms with the Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract, his old Penn State coach James Franklin revealed Roseman's alleged "sales pitch'' to Barkley.
Franklin indicated that Barkley told him "that was one of the first things that Howie said to him on the phone as part of his sales pitch to him was not only the Philadelphia Eagles and that but obviously the connection with Penn State and the fan base as well."
And how did the Falcons get in hot water? Cousins, after signing his $180 million deal, came right out and praised the "great people here. And it's not just the football team. I mean, I'm looking at the support staff. Meeting -- calling, yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of PR I'm thinking, we got good people here. And that's exciting to be a part of."
The problem: Teams are allowed to talk to agents but they are not allowed to talk directly to outside-their-own-organization players during the negotiating window unless the player represents himself.
The NFL is now obliged to investigate. The precedent here means the possibility of punishment including the forfeiture of a third-round draft pick.
And what do your Dallas Cowboys have to do with any of this? Besides the fact that the rival Eagles are making big improvements to a roster that might be the NFC East's best (Barkley, pass-rusher Bryce Huff and middle linebacker Devin White are signed up), and besides the fact that the Falcons may now be joining the elite-level NFC teams (Michael Irvin thinks so; see below) ...
There is this: Dallas may be subject to an NFL investigation, too, though it has nothing to do with football, as police are looking into a sexual assault allegation leveled at QB Dak Prescott. Prescott has filed a $100 million claim against his accuser, pushing the conflict into the spotlight.
And the NFL at its discretion do whatever it wants to Prescott, almost regardless of actual guilt.
Oh, and on an infinitely lighter note, one more this: We know the league isn't going to punish the Dallas Cowboys for contacting free agents illegally, because ... you know, as Derrick Henry can testify, the Dallas Cowboys have barely even contacted free agents legally.
