The Atlanta Falcons cannot catch a break. The team had one of the better off-seasons so far amongst other teams after landing quarterback Kirk Cousins for a whopping $180 million.
However, things began to go downhill from his first press conference as a member of the team. Cousins happened to mention that he was in contact with the team’s head athletic trainer during the window for teams to reach out to players opened.
When the NFL took cognizance of this issue, it led to other questions such as did Kirk Cousins speak to the Atlanta Falcons director of player Ryan Pace during the negotiating window? How big of a factor was he in recruiting Bears’ wideout Darnell Mooney and when did he get in contact with him? Did Kyle Pitts, who spent a significant amount of time urging Cousins to join the Falcons violate tampering rules with the knowledge of the franchise?
As the league continues to investigate the matter, the punishment is likely to be handed down before the draft. As per Adam Schefter, the team will be required to forfeit its draft picks over potential tampering.
The NFL’s investigation is ongoing and could reach a conclusion as early as this week, per sources. Sources believe the discipline, which is likely to involve draft picks, is expected to be more severe for the Falcons. Adam Schefter reported
The NFL has been coming down on teams for tampering with players
Recent trends indicate the NFL is not taking too kindly to cases of tampering with players. The Arizona Cardinals were recently penalized by the league for tampering with Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, which led to the two teams swapping third-round picks.
This punishment was announced minutes before the draft. Then there’s the example of the Miami Dolphins who tampered with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, which resulted in them losing a first-rounder.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: Sources believe the #Falcons could be forced to forfeit draft picks for potential tampering regarding their signing of Kirk Cousins, per @AdamSchefter
“The NFL's investigation is ongoing and could reach a conclusion as early as this week, per sources. Sources… pic.twitter.com/nlyCpzGVzb
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) April 22, 2024
As the draft is just one day away, it will not be surprising if the league decides to levy a punishment on the Falcons an hour before the draft commences. A lot of factors will be looked at. Did Cousins provide information about his health that was not public information to the team? Did he begin to recruit other players before joining the Falcons?
The Philadelphia Eagles face a similar ordeal as Penn State coach James Franklin alleged that Howie Roseman spoke to Saquon Barkley before the league year began. Roseman has denied the allegations and stated that he spoke to only Barkley’s agent. Both teams risk facing serious punishment over tampering charges, however, there is no telling when the league will drop the hammer on them.
