The NFL forced the Miami Dolphins to lose their third-round pick in the 2024 Draft following allegations of “tampering” with Tom Brady and Sean Payton. As the Dolphins missing pick comes on the clock, who would you have taken?
The NFL has a tampering problem. They have two teams who are under investigation this year for tampering with players they signed in free agency, with allegations that the teams had directly spoken to the players prior to the start of the new league year. The Atlanta Falcons are being investigated for their contact with quarterback Kirk Cousins, who they signed to a four-year, $180 million contract, including $100 million guaranteed. The Philadelphia Eagles may have had impermissible contact with running back Saquon Barkley, who signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract, with $26 million guaranteed.
The NFL announced earlier this week that the investigations are ongoing and no punishments would be levied prior to this year’s draft. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “the Falcons are facing discipline that is likely to involve draft picks and is expected to be more severe than the Eagles’ punishment.”
The league’s problem is not the tampering. The problem is the lack of action here.
The Miami Dolphins were punished for tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Sean Payton, losing their 2023 first-round pick and their 2024 third-round pick. Miami did not sign either of the two, but just had conversations with them or their agents which were deemed outside the league’s rules. Now, you have two players who signed with teams and seemed to admit they were contacted before it was permissible. Instead of coming down with swift justice, the league has dragged their feet and allowed both teams to continue on with their draft plans.
The league crushed the Dolphins for not signing a quarterback or head coach. The Falcons and Eagles signed the players they allegedly tampered to acquire. Crickets.
Last year, the Eagles alleged the Arizona Cardinals tampered with Jonathan Gannon, interviewing him for their head coaching position prior during a period when interviews were prohibited. The teams settled the allegations by trading third-round picks, with the Cardinals also receiving a fourth-round pick from the Eagles in 2024.
The Cardinals broke the rules and signed the coach. They had to swap third-round picks and gained an extra pick.
Miami lost a first- and a third-round pick for not signing a player or a coach. If two picks are the punishment for attempted tampering, you would think the punishment for successful tampering would be much more harsh.
While the league metes out disparate punishments for “tampering,” the 2024 NFL Draft has now reached the 86th overall pick, with the Eagles on the clock. Except, this should be the Dolphins’ third-round selection, rather than a pick that as stolen by the NFL – I mean, forfeit as just punishment for a crime that was attempted.
The Eagles originally owned the 87th, moving it up to 86th pick with Miami’s lost pick. Philadelphia traded it to the Houston Texans, only to have the Texans send it back to the Eagles Friday night. As the Eagles’ clock counts down, I cannot help but wonder who the Dolphins could be adding if they still had their rightful 86th overall pick. Looking at the best players available, Miami could consider
Who would you use the 86th pick to select?
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