Eagles being investigated for tampering with Saquon Barkley

The NFL is investigating the Eagles for a possible tampering violation in their signing of free agent Saquon Barkley away from the Giants, a source confirmed.

It was prompted by Penn State head coach James Franklin’s comments that Barkley and general manager Howie Roseman spoke before it was allowed Wednesday at 4 p.m.

All communications during the 52-hour legal tampering free-agency period that began Monday must go through a team and an agent.

The Eagles denied that Roseman and Barkley spoke. Barkely tried to clear it up Thursday at his first Eagles news conference.

“Coach Franklin I think kind of misinterpreted,” Barkley said. “The truth was that pitch — how many Penn State fans are Philadelphia Eagles fans — was through my agent, and my agent told me that. It happens. I’m with Philly on that.”

The league also is looking into the Kirk Cousins acquisition by Falcons from the Vikings after Cousins said that he spoke with Falcons trainers during the recruitment process.

Both matters are part of the standard review process, per source, as first reported by ESPN.

The Giants are not a driving force behind the investigation after they had ample opportunity to re-sign Barkley (as well as safety Xavier McKinney) before free agency opened and other teams made bigger offers than they were willing to match, per another source.

Franklin remains one of Barkley’s closest advisers years after he coached him at Penn State.

Franklin was one of the advisers who convinced Barkley to sign his franchise tag without holding out from training camp last July.

Barkley will be at Penn State’s Pro Day on Friday and will get a chance to clarify with Franklin.

“I guess we’ll have that conversation,” Barkley laughed.