Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk accused the Falcons of engaging in blatant tampering in their pursuit of Cousins.
Florio stated on the “What The Football” podcast that tampering is a common occurrence in the NFL, often happening discreetly during face-to-face conversations between agents and team representatives. However, he described the Falcons’ pursuit of Cousins as the most blatant case of tampering he has ever seen.
Florio also accused the Falcons of using their new relationship with Cousins to recruit Darnell Mooney from the Chicago Bears, referring to it as “tampering within tampering.” He criticized the team for openly discussing these actions without discretion.
During his introductory press conference with the Falcons on March 13, Cousins inadvertently admitted to the tampering allegations by mentioning conversations with members of the organization before the legal tampering period began on March 11. The NFL opened an investigation into the Falcons for potential tampering on March 14.
In the end, the league may fine or penalize the Falcons in the draft, but the acquisition of Cousins is seen as a significant gain for the team. Meanwhile, the Vikings have signed Sam Darnold and are looking to trade up in the draft for a franchise quarterback.
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