UPDATE: NFL might 'drop the hammer' on the Falcons for tampering

[Zanary]

I think the biggest issue is that...it's a nothing-burger.

The Vikings weren't offering a long extension, Kirk didn't want another 1-year deal, that was understood by both sides. It sounds like it was amicable, so it's not like Atlanta "lured" Kirko away from Minnesota.

All Atlanta did was possibly get a head start at offering a new home (and even that was kinda deceitful), because the Vikings were already looking at being younger at QB.

One nothing-burger, hold...everything.

[pattersaur]

I don't agree with your take. I think if the NFL wants to discourage this kind of behavior, and I believe they do, then it's in their best interest to punish the Falcons no matter the size of the story. I do agree that it's unlikely the Vikings get anything out of it, but I'd be surprised if the Falcons weren't punished in some way.

They can achieve everything you insinuate behind the scenes by pressing their thumb on the Falcons, while also not creating a media headline.

[Havoc]

I think they get absolutely hammered. The Vikings made him a good offer, according to at least one poster, a better offer than the Falcons. Of course the Falcons likely had him locked down by then. The Vikings did NOT expect to lose him contrary to some of the beliefs in here. The Vikings flat out told us this when they said they had to pivot.

In my opinion, people are incredibly naive about the going on behind the scenes in a case like this. Cousins is a franchise QB in a league with maybe half that can be said about. The Falcons likely pulled out all the stops to obtain a competitive advantage. You give any good salesperson enough time with no one else able to speak to the player and you get him locked down.

Will it benefit the Vikings? That remains to be seen, but the hammer is dropping either way. The Vikings definitely deserve compensation, but we’ll see what happens.

[MAD GAINZ]

Well, no hammer dropped... Atlanta is docked their 5th round pick next year and fines issued.

Not really much of a penalty for tampering with a high end FA.

[medaille]

Looks like they only got docked a 5th.

[pattersaur]

*armpit fart noise*

[Havoc]

There was no need to “drop the hammer” when they did minimal wrong. The reporting for months was that it was a serious violation - ie tampering before the window opened. We’re talking two completely different scenarios. This was barely reportable let alone deserved making a bid deal out of. The media crapped the bed on this one. They couldn’t have been further off on their explanations.