Saquon Barkley was one of the hottest names of the offseason.
For a while, Barkley was linked to multiple teams ranging from the Dallas Cowboys to the Los Angeles Chargers under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The Philadelphia Eagles came into the Barkley sweepstakes late — or at least it looked that way when the deal was finalized — but according to James Franklin who used to coach the dynamic RB at Penn State, the Philly brass contacted the former New York Giants star before it was permitted via NFL league rules.
In an era where the running back market isn’t even close to as valuable as it once was, the former New York Giants RB and Penn State star is one of the outliers.
Much like Christian McCaffrey for the San Francisco 49ers, Saquon Barkley creates matchup nightmares for opposing defenders as both a ball carrier and a receiver out of the backfield. When healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic and electric players in the NFL.
Earlier this week Barkley signed a contract with his former team’s division rivals when he inked a three-year, $37.75 million contract that includes $26 million guaranteed at signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. According to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter, his new average annual salary of $15.833 million per year will be the second-highest for a running back in NFL history.
A native of Coplay, PA, Barkley stayed in-state and spent three years at Penn State before being the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2018 draft.
In six seasons with New York, Barkley played in 74 games while posting 1,201 carries for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns. He also tallied 288 catches for 2,100 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Eagles will now look to make it back to the Super Bowl-worthy heights that they’ve set for themselves. The money that they’re fixing to throw at Barkley shows they believe he’s the franchise running back that can help get them there.
James Franklin Reveals Philadelphia Eagles Contacted Saquon Barkley Before Legal Tampering Period
During the 52-hour, pre-free-agency negotiating window, teams can talk directly to agents. They can’t talk to the player, unless the player has no agent and represents himself.
That’s relevant today because an item in SI.com suggests that Eagles G.M. Howie Roseman spoke directly to Giants running back Saquon Barkley during the negotiating window. The Eagles have denied it.
From Mark Wogenrich of SI.com, Penn State coach James Franklin intimated on Tuesday that Roseman directly spoke to Barkley as part of the recruiting process, which focused on the proximity of Philadelphia to Penn State, where Barkley played college football.
“He said that was one of the first things that Howie said to him on the phone as part of his sales pitch,” Franklin said, via Wogenrich. “Not only the Philadelphia Eagles and that that but also the connection with Penn State and the fan base as well. So just a really cool opportunity.”
Through a team spokesman, the Philadelphia Eagles told PFT that all player recruiting is facilitated through the player’s agent.
Yes, tampering is rampant when it comes to free agency. It’s hard to imagine any team running afoul of the bright-line rule regarding direct contact with represented players. In 2016, the NFL stripped a third-round pick from the Chiefs for having direct contact with then-Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin during the negotiating window.
If and when it happens, there would likely be a digital trail — unless burner phones were involved. It would be similar to the digital footprints that would exist if, for instance, the Falcons gathered medical information about quarterback Kirk Cousins in a way that violates the rules. With the league only rarely, and seemingly randomly, enforcing the rules, some teams might view it as a risk worth taking.
Regardless, the Philadelphia Eagles have denied that Roseman spoke directly to Saquon Barkley. It will be interesting to see if the NFL conducts and investigation after the Penn State head coach accidentally slipped and revealed possible tampering.