The NFL is looking into an allegation that the Eagles improperly contacted running back Saquon Barkley before Barkley agreed to sign with the team as a free agent, but Barkley says there’s nothing for them to find.
Barkley’s head coach at Penn State James Franklin is central to the issue. Franklin told reporters that Barkley had direct contact with Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman before Roseman was permitted to speak to anyone other than Barkley’s agent. The Eagles denied that happened and Barkley said at a Thursday press conference that Franklin either misunderstood or misrepresented a conversation the running back had with him.
“Coach Franklin, I think, kind of misinterpreted it,” Barkley said. “The truth was that the sales pitch was Penn State and how many Penn State fans are Eagles fans. But that through my agent, my agent told me that.”
The Eagles would be subject to a penalty from the league if they find there was any wrongdoing, but it doesn’t seem particularly likely based on what all but Franklin have said.
