Haynesworth will be interviewed by NFL Officials This Week

The NFL is investigating whether if the Redskins violated league tampering rules while they sign free agent defensive end Albert Haynesworth to a seven year, $100 million dollar contract on the early morning hours of free agency. The Tennessee Titans, which is Hayneworth previous team, claim that his representative was contacted by the Redskins before the free agency period began. Haynesworth did agree to a long term deal with the Redskins on early morning hours of free agency. Redskins Insider Jason La Canfora has more details on the NFL investigation.

"Reports emerged during the NFL combine in mid-February in Indianapolis that Speck and Snyder had dinner together. However, Snyder often is seen publicly in those kinds of settings with agents. The Titans, according to a report in the Tennessean, forwarded to the league office newspaper stories, a radio clip, and electronic communication that they believe show there was improper contact.

A spokesman for the Redskins declined to comment and the NFL has a policy of not commenting on tampering matters.

Although tampering charges are difficult to prove, teams have been stripped of draft choices when the NFL finds sufficient evidence. Last year, for instance, the San Francisco 49ers were stripped of a fifth-round draft pick when the league found that they violated tampering rules by having conversations with Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.

In the aftermatch of Spygate last year, Commissioner Roger Goodell implemented a set of rules to crack down on cheating. One change lowered the threshold for the standard of proof needed for him to discipline a team for any competitive violation, including tampering. Charges most often arise when one team files a complaint, but the NFL reserves the right to investigate any case in which it suspects wrong-doing without a team filing a charge."

Well, its looks like the NFL is not gonna let this story fade away and if the information from the Titans are true, the Redskins could lose a draft pick or too. Then again, tampering charges are hard to prove, and it pretty much a he said or she said thing also, unless there is sufficient evidence. But it should be very interesting to see how this issue unfolds the rest of this week.

NFL to Interview Haynesworth, Others