Rastak
02-28-2009, 10:38 AM
The question was raised how Haynesworth could have already agreed to a deal with Washington before free agency even started. Florio seems to have found a smoking gun with an agent outright admitting he's fielding calls before the start of free agency. Everybody knows it's going on but I still find this amusing.
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HAROLD LEWIS ADMITS THAT RAMS TAMPERED
Posted by Mike Florio: Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:09 AM
In article confirming (as first reported by PFT at the SportingNews.com safe haven site on Friday) that Bengals tackle Stacy Andrews has agreed to terms with the Eagles, Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia Inquirer unwittingly has obtained an admission from agent Harold Lewis that one or more teams -- including the Rams -- had contacted him to express interest in center/guard Jason Brown before the free-agency period officially opened.
Addressing the inability of the Eagles to get in on the bidding for Brown, Lewis said: "The Eagles showed some really strong interest in Jason, but we had no inkling until midnight passed. Who knows? Maybe if they'd have called first, they'd have had the first chance to talk. Jason is not the kind of guy who wants to take a tour."
Maybe the real news here is that an NFL team actually waited until midnight passed to express interest in a free agent. Given that no one else does this, the Eagles' decision to act honorably necessarily put them at a competitive disadvantage.
And that gives me an idea that likely will be ignored but that I nevertheless need to express. Under the NFL's current Anti-Tampering Policy, only the team who held the player's rights can make a claim of tampering. But why shouldn't, in a case like this, a team that had a legitimate interest in a free agent and that waited until the clock struck 12 to inquire be able to file a complaint that another team actually landed the player because the other team cheated?
Maybe if they had called first? You CAN'T call until the time that they actually did. He totally implies plenty of others called before midnight.
Discuss (8 Comments) Link to this
HAROLD LEWIS ADMITS THAT RAMS TAMPERED
Posted by Mike Florio: Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:09 AM
In article confirming (as first reported by PFT at the SportingNews.com safe haven site on Friday) that Bengals tackle Stacy Andrews has agreed to terms with the Eagles, Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia Inquirer unwittingly has obtained an admission from agent Harold Lewis that one or more teams -- including the Rams -- had contacted him to express interest in center/guard Jason Brown before the free-agency period officially opened.
Addressing the inability of the Eagles to get in on the bidding for Brown, Lewis said: "The Eagles showed some really strong interest in Jason, but we had no inkling until midnight passed. Who knows? Maybe if they'd have called first, they'd have had the first chance to talk. Jason is not the kind of guy who wants to take a tour."
Maybe the real news here is that an NFL team actually waited until midnight passed to express interest in a free agent. Given that no one else does this, the Eagles' decision to act honorably necessarily put them at a competitive disadvantage.
And that gives me an idea that likely will be ignored but that I nevertheless need to express. Under the NFL's current Anti-Tampering Policy, only the team who held the player's rights can make a claim of tampering. But why shouldn't, in a case like this, a team that had a legitimate interest in a free agent and that waited until the clock struck 12 to inquire be able to file a complaint that another team actually landed the player because the other team cheated?
Maybe if they had called first? You CAN'T call until the time that they actually did. He totally implies plenty of others called before midnight.