When Kirk Cousins seemingly acknowledged direct contact with the Atlanta Falcons before the official start of free agency, it triggered a league investigation into the team. According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the investigation is nearing its conclusion, and the outlook for the Falcons doesn’t seem promising.
The league seems to have found wrongdoing on Atlanta’s part—largely due to Cousins’ public admission—and Schefter anticipates that the Falcons will face severe punishment, likely involving draft picks, surpassing what the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to receive for a similar investigation involving contact with free agent running back Saquon Barkley.
It’s improbable that the league will impose sanctions affecting this year’s draft unless they decide on an unusual measure, such as forcing a pick swap with the Minnesota Vikings, who were allegedly affected by Atlanta’s early contact. However, it’s doubtful that the NFL would disrupt this year’s draft planning for multiple franchises with only a week left until the draft. More likely, Atlanta will lose one or two selections in the 2025 NFL Draft.
For a team with pressing needs and a costly quarterback contract, losing any draft pick is problematic, but losing a first or second-day selection or two would be particularly unwelcome. Recent examples cited by ESPN, such as the Dolphins losing a first and third-round pick for tampering with Sean Payton and Tom Brady, or the Kansas City Chiefs losing picks for tampering with Jeremy Maclin, suggest a similar punishment for the Falcons, likely affecting future drafts rather than the current one.
The genesis of this situation lies in Cousins’ apparent slip of the tongue during his introductory press conference, where he hinted at direct contact with the Falcons’ athletic trainer before officially signing his deal—a violation that teams typically avoid admitting.
The league also investigated Kyle Pitts’ active recruitment of Cousins, with the distinction between Pitts acting independently or under team instruction playing a crucial role in determining the severity of the penalty for Atlanta.
Despite initial optimism from Arthur Blank following the investigation’s commencement, the Falcons are prepared to accept the investigation’s outcome. However, the repercussions of Cousins’ inadvertent disclosure could lead to the Falcons losing valuable draft picks, making the acquisition of the free agent quarterback more costly.
While excited about Cousins joining the team, the Falcons cannot afford to lose valuable draft assets, particularly at a time when the franchise seemed to be on the upswing. This incident will undoubtedly prompt the Falcons to exercise greater caution in the future, but there remains apprehension about the potential severity of the league’s punishment.
