Yesterday, ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that a resolution in the alleged free agent tampering cases of the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles is likely to come this week, per league sources, so earlier today The Morning Shift explained why the Falcons shouldn’t lose anything higher than a third round pick when the ruling is finally made.
The Miami Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round selection for tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton on three occasions from 2019 to 2022. Beau Morgan used that as a reference to make the point that even if the NFL does come to the conclusion that the Falcons tampered to get Kirk Cousins what the Falcons did isn’t nearly as bad as what the Dolphins did.
“I would be shocked if it’s a first round pick. I would be shocked if it’s a second round pick. I think it’ll probably be a third or fourth…” Beau also went on to say “This whole thing is stupid. What the Dolphins did with Tom Brady and Sean Payton a few years ago and what the Falcons and the Eagles are accused of doing now with Saquon [Barkley] and Kirk Cousins is not anywhere near the same not even in the same realm, unless their report comes out and says well we know the Falcons talked to Kirk Cousins in December it’s not the same.” Beau said
To Beau’s point what happened with Kirk Cousins and the Falcons and even Saquon Barkley and the Eagles is nothing like when the Dolphins tried to talk both Sean Payton and Tom Brady into coming to the Dolphins while both were still under contract with NFL teams.
The NFL will hopefully see the difference in what the Dolphins did and what the Falcons and Eagles did but Mike Johnson said it best when he said “I’m not holding my breath for anything good to come out of this or any relief. I’m going to be angry later this week just mark it down.”
Hopefully the NFL will surprise us and proves us all wrong, but it’s not likely.
