NFL Report

TAMPERING VIOLATIONS HARD TO PROVE

Unless Dan Snyder arrived at Morton’s Steakhouse in Indianapolis last month with a contract proposal in hand, it’s going to be difficult for the NFL to determine whether Snyder and the Redskins are guilty of tampering with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was still under contract with the Tennessee Titans.

Snyder and agent Chad Speck were spotted having dinner during the NFL scouting combine, and less than a week later Haynesworth was at Redskin Park thanks to a contract that will pay him $32 million in the next 13 months.

The Titans have yet to file a grievance with the NFL office, and all parties have remained silent about the situation.

Speck also represents Redskins receiver Malcolm Kelly, so an easy out for Snyder and Speck is that the topic of the dinner was Kelly’s rehabilitation from offseason knee surgery and his role in the offense this year. According to the tampering rules, an agent reaching out to a team is allowed but not the other way around.

At the combine, Colts general manager Bill Polian essentially said it’s impossible to police negotiations before free agency starts. During the weeklong combine, the agents also hold their meeting in Indianapolis.

“I don’t know if there’s a remedy for it that’s enforceable,” he said. “It just might be human nature.”

Last year, the Chicago Bears filed tampering charges against the San Francisco 49ers for talking to Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for linebacker Lance Briggs. During the 2007 season, the Bears and 49ers discussed a trade for Briggs. The grievance claimed that the 49ers held contract talks with Rosenhaus during the season.

Commissioner Roger Goodell took away the 49ers’ fifth-round pick and switched their third-round pick with the Bears’.

The 49ers were talking to an agent of another team’s player during the season, a clear violation. Even if the Titans follow through on the charge against the Redskins, it would be stunning if the Redskins lost a draft pick.

AROUND THE NFC

• The Redskins’ James Thrash is on his way to Hawaii for the NFL Players Association’s annual meeting. This year’s gathering of the 32 player representatives will produce news: Sunday is the vote for the new executive director. Gene Upshaw held the job for 25 years until his death in August. The four finalists are former players Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong and lawyers David Cornwell and DeMaurice Smith.

• The Redskins begin their voluntary offseason conditioning Monday, and newcomer Albert Haynesworth is expected to attend. Haynesworth, DeAngelo Hall and Derrick Dockery all have provisions in their contracts requiring them to attend a percentage of the sessions. The Redskins’ only minicamp is scheduled for the weekend after April’s draft.

• It has been a bizarre offseason in Philadelphia. Only five players remain from the 2004 NFC title team; already gone from last year’s team are Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas, Lito Sheppard, Greg Lewis and Correll Buckhalter. The only notable addition is right tackle Stacy Andrews. Management insists the Eagles are retooling, not rebuilding. The Eagles have two first-round picks (Nos. 21 and 28) and a ton of salary cap space.

AROUND THE AFC

Story Continues →