NFL Investigating Contract Leaks

[inkfreq]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12448761/nfl-warns-all-32-teams-contract-leaks

The NFL warned teams two years ago when they started this 3 day negotiating period that there has better be no leaks ahead of time.

Oddly enough, to me at least, the leaks aren't even the baffling thing here.

The Bills have McCoy a shiny new $40MM contract, but he's not a member of their team yet. He hasn't been traded to them officially yet, and can't be until Tuesday at 4pm.

The rules on the negotiating period state that you can exchange numbers with any unrestricted free agent under contract with another team, but not with any member of another team who is not a UFA.

The Bills weren't even allowed to talk to McCoy yet, but they've given him a new deal? Goodell is going to go ballistic before this is over.

Something tells me the 3 day window is about to close for good.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

The negotiating window never made sense to me. It is functionally no different from opening free agency 3 days early. Either let the deals be made, or don't let teams/players negotiate. But your point on McCoy is spot on. If he actually signs that contract today with the Bills, they should be charged with tampering according to the rules.

 

[sggatecl]

I'm biased as can be obviously but I'd like to see the teams that lost players to teams that are found guilty of tampering acquire the draft picks that are lost by the offending team.

 

[inkfreq]

I'm biased as can be obviously but I'd like to see the teams that lost players to teams that are found guilty of tampering acquire the draft picks that are lost by the offending team.

I'd actually like to see the contracts voided, just to teach everyone a damned lesson.

Won't happen. Not even close. But I think if you negotiate a contract under a violation of league rules, the contract should not be considered valid.

Any court would agree with any other labor contract.

 

[sggatecl]

I'd actually like to see the contracts voided, just to teach everyone a damned lesson.

Won't happen. Not even close. But I think if you negotiate a contract under a violation of league rules, the contract should not be considered valid.

Any court would agree with any other labor contract.

I agree with that as well. But you're right, it won't happen. Teams will lose a random 3rd round pick, maybe 2nd round at worst. A slap on the wrist even though "Goodell is so angry!"

 

[inkfreq]

Charles Robinson of Yahoo is reporting that an NFL source says the league plans to have "dialogue" with the Dolphins about the Suh negotiations, and that teams are starting to get wary of what the NFL may do.

Sounds like the NFL may be more pissed than we really thought.

 

[inkfreq]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/3/10/8182183/ndamukong-suh-miami-dolphins-free-agent-tampering

Apparently, this is just the Dolphins the NFL is investigating, and it's related to the reports of the fine details of a contract that can't be offered yet.

No idea what may come of it, but one notable case of tampering had the offending team punished by giving up it's 1st and 3rd round picks to the "victimized" team.

I'd be totally okay with that. Of course since it's Detroit, that won't happen. I fit was Green Bay or New England, someone would be drawn and quartered already.

 

[manchild98]

The negotiating window never made sense to me. It is functionally no different from opening free agency 3 days early. Either let the deals be made, or don't let teams/players negotiate. But your point on McCoy is spot on. If he actually signs that contract today with the Bills, they should be charged with tampering according to the rules.

Yeah it really makes no sense. Just set the specific date and time and say don't talk to a single soul before that or you'll lose your entire draft. Stop playing "just the tip" and thinking these teams aren't going to just immediately stick it all the way in.

 

[inkfreq]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12457029/nfl-investigate-teams-early-deals?ex_cid=espnapi_public

Wow, shit is getting real now.

The NFL has told teams to keep their phone records for inspection. That's like, a SERIOUS step in an investigation. It sounds like the NFL actually wants to do something here.

I was thinking about it, and the NFL has to get a little crazy here. This three day window is a risky proposition. A league is allowing other competing businesses to dabble in a contract for a business they don't own. That can actually get really complicated if it goes to court, and could break the hell out of the anti-monopoly exemption.

How do they get around that? No contract offers can be made. If you give a "negotiating position" statement to five linebackers, and it appears to be an offer, all five could sign and then drag you to court when you don't sign. But if it's simple a written proposal of estimated numbers... and NOT an offer, there is no collusion, no monopoly violation, no nothing.

The minute the teams start making it more than an offer, the NFL could be facing the most serious anti-labor law suit in history. So it would seem they have to come down on some owners at this point to protect themselves legally.

Could get very interesting.

 

[tigermud]

Dolphins reporteldy getting nervous over this

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...us-about-possible-investigation-over-suh-deal

 

[Mitchrapp]

They'll change the deal somehow...

 

[mhughes0021]

Multiple reports had finalized contract details leaked....if the nfl digs hard enough then miami is fucked. But odds are they say "fuck it....its the lions."

 

[Mitchrapp]

If anything they lose picks but they won't be going to us..

 

[schles192]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12448761/nfl-warns-all-32-teams-contract-leaks

The NFL warned teams two years ago when they started this 3 day negotiating period that there has better be no leaks ahead of time.

Oddly enough, to me at least, the leaks aren't even the baffling thing here.

The Bills have McCoy a shiny new $40MM contract, but he's not a member of their team yet. He hasn't been traded to them officially yet, and can't be until Tuesday at 4pm.

The rules on the negotiating period state that you can exchange numbers with any unrestricted free agent under contract with another team, but not with any member of another team who is not a UFA.

The Bills weren't even allowed to talk to McCoy yet, but they've given him a new deal? Goodell is going to go ballistic before this is over.

Something tells me the 3 day window is about to close for good.

I don't think the McCoy situation is an issue because the two teams had arranged a trade before there was any negotiating taking place and therefore gave Buffalo permission to contact McCoy and his agent. Plus he wasn't a pending FA its more like a midseason trade but it happened during the off season so they had to wait to make it official on March 10th.

 

[inkfreq]

I don't think the McCoy situation is an issue because the two teams had arranged a trade before there was any negotiating taking place and therefore gave Buffalo permission to contact McCoy and his agent. Plus he wasn't a pending FA its more like a midseason trade but it happened during the off season so they had to wait to make it official on March 10th.

I think it should be a bigger issue than getting to "fine print" with the details of a negotiation statement.

If you can't trade the player til Tuesday, the other team cannot offer the player a contract while he's not their property yet.

There are actually laws that govern this type of behavior, and this absolutely violates them.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Can the Lions get draft picks from the Dolphins?

Is that how it works, or do the draft picks just vanish?

Seems like breaking the rules in this sense would hurt the original team's ability to retain the player.

 

[inkfreq]

Can the Lions get draft picks from the Dolphins?

Is that how it works, or do the draft picks just vanish?

Seems like breaking the rules in this sense would hurt the original team's ability to retain the player.

They "can" get the picks, but it doesn't mean they will.

If it's determined that they called Suh directly during the 3 day window, it probably won't even hit their draft. A big fine, slap on the wrist, no no kind of stuff.

If it's determined they made contact with Suh prior to the 3 day window, and that it impacted the Lions ability to negotiate with their own player because he knew he could get a bigger offer from Miami... I would think they would lose some picks, and likely to the Lions.

That would be a HUGE no no. In fact, it would be the ULTIMATE no no in free agency.

The picks they lose would probably be based on the status of the player, and like compensatory picks, be based on the value of his new contract (because it shows how much his new team valued him).

Since the man is signing a deal that gives him the largest guaranteed portion of a contract in NFL history (Aaron Rodgers got $54MM in his deal guaranteed), it would probably be a significant pick.

Based purely on monetary value, Suh would be considered the largest free agent signing in NFL history.