How extreme was the alleged tampering between the Atlanta Falcons with former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins? If the league’s investigation reveals the tampering significantly affected Minnesota’s ability to negotiate with Cousins, will the hammer be dropped on Atlanta and is a pick swap in this week’s NFL draft plausible?
What we know is that, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the penalty could be “severe” and it could be levied against Atlanta as soon as this week.
“What if it’s severe enough to a designated level…we just get Atlanta’s second-round pick?” Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen wondered Monday on his weekday show in the Twin Cities.
There is little precedent of teams being forced to swap picks for tampering, though it happened last year when the league punished Arizona for tampering with former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was hired as Arizona’s head coach. Philadelphia received the No. 66 pick (third round) in the draft in exchange for Arizona’s No. 94 pick and a fifth-round selection.
The Falcons have been accused of tampering with Cousins before he inked a four-year, $180 million contract on the first day of free agency. Cousins admitted in his opening press conference with Atlanta media that he was in contact with Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and a team trainer before the league’s legal negotiating window opened in March.
Allen is waiting to see if the league might award the Vikings Atlanta’s second-round pick, No. 43 overall, for what he believes might be an “unprecedented” level of tampering.
In fact, Allen is wondering – and we have no idea if he has any inside information – if the Falcons could be forced to give Minnesota the No. 8 pick in the draft in exchange for the Vikings’ second first-round pick, No. 23, if the tampering is found to be severe.
“Eight for 23 is on my radar,” Allen explained. “Let’s see how significant this is. I’m telling you right now, if this side, if the [Vikings] can prove what you did compromised our ability to negotiate or work with that man, this will be unprecedented.”
