Shortly after the Philadelphia Eagles signed former New York Giants operating again Saquon Barkley, Penn State head coach James Franklin made feedback that appeared to counsel some tampering had occurred.
“He stated that was one of many first issues that Howie (Roseman) stated to him on the telephone as a part of his gross sales pitch,” Franklin stated of Barkley. “Not solely the Philadelphia Eagles and that that but additionally the reference to Penn State and the fan base as nicely. So only a actually cool alternative.”
Had Eagles normal supervisor Howie Roseman contacted Barkley throughout the two-day authorized tampering interval, it could have violated NFL protocol.
Per league guidelines, groups are permitted to enter into negotiations with brokers and representatives of pending free brokers throughout the two-day authorized tampering interval. Nonetheless, groups can’t converse to gamers instantly except these gamers are self-represented.
Shortly after Franklin’s feedback, which he later walked again, the NFL opened a evaluation of the Eagles’ signing of Barkley.
On Thursday, the league decided that the Eagles had not violated tampering guidelines and launched the next assertion:
After a radical evaluation of the Philadelphia Eagles signing of Saquon Barkley, the NFL at present knowledgeable the membership that the investigation didn’t uncover adequate proof to assist a discovering that the Anti-Tampering Coverage was violated.
In coming to this conclusion, the league reviewed telephone logs, textual content messages and different paperwork associated to Philadelphia’s free company technique and determination to signal Barkley. The NFL additionally interviewed a number of members of the group, together with Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni, in addition to Barkley and Penn State head coach James Franklin. As with each evaluation, ought to new proof be uncovered, the league could reopen the investigation.
Had the Eagles violated tampering guidelines, they’d have been fined and/or docked future draft picks.
Philadelphia signed Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million take care of $26 million assured.
