The National Football League (NFL) has confirmed that the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles will retain all of their draft picks for this year’s event in Detroit. This decision comes as investigations into alleged tampering by both teams are still ongoing and are not expected to conclude before the draft.
The Falcons and Eagles are under scrutiny over their signings of free agent players Kirk Cousins and Saquon Barkley, respectively. Claims of impermissible contact with the players have been made, and if found guilty, the teams could face penalties including the loss of draft picks. The Miami Dolphins recently experienced this fate in both this year’s and last year’s drafts due to similar violations.
Cousins signed a four-year contract potentially worth $180 million with Atlanta after failing to reach an agreement on an extension with the Minnesota Vikings. Barkley, on the other hand, agreed to a three-year, $37.75 million deal with Philadelphia after negotiations with the New York Giants reached an impasse.
According to ESPN, the Falcons are likely to face harsher sanctions from the league than the Eagles. Losing draft picks is expected to be part of any potential punishment, but such penalties will not affect this year’s draft. Atlanta currently holds eight picks, including the No. 8 overall selection, while Philadelphia also has eight picks.
The NFL has a history of wrapping up its investigations before the draft, as seen last year with the Arizona Cardinals’ appointment of former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach. However, in this instance, the investigations are expected to extend beyond the draft date.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot expressed gratitude for the league’s communication throughout the process and emphasized the team’s cooperation. Owner Arthur Blank also maintained that the Falcons do not believe they engaged in tampering.
The allegations against Atlanta have gained additional attention due to public remarks made by Cousins hinting at possible tampering. During his introductory press conference, Cousins praised the organization and its support staff, raising questions about potential contact prior to the official start of free agency.
The Eagles have denied any wrongdoing following comments made by Barkley’s ex-Penn State coach, James Franklin. Franklin claimed that Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman mentioned Barkley’s desire to play in his home state as part of his sales pitch to the player.
Both the Falcons and Eagles await the outcome of the ongoing investigations and potential punishments, which could have significant implications for their future draft prospects.
