NFL has given no indication of timetable for bounty scandal punishment against New Orleans Saints
 

Though the NFL remained tight-lipped about its investigation into the alleged bounty system the Saints employed defensively the past three seasons, there were indications Thursday the punishments looming for the club, and perhaps some of its players, may not be imposed quickly.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has given no inkling of when he may announce the fines and suspensions that could be imposed against key Saints executives and players, or if the club will be stripped of draft picks. All of those possibilities were mentioned by the NFL when it revealed its investigation last Friday.


NFL has given no indication of timetable for bounty scandal punishment against New Orleans Saints - New Orleans Saints Football NFL News - NOLA.com

The longer the better. It can only help that more and more players are stating its nothing new and everyone does it.

Some reporters are actually reporting it too.

Broaden the circle of the punished and it won't look so bad for damn sure.

Yeah. I think they know all they're going to know about us. Now they're contemplating the depth of the rabbit hole is what I'd bet.

Exactly what I have been saying...

The more info or discoveries they have to look into it. All the comments everyone is making from the ex players on all these panels they are giving themselves up like its no big deal.

Dumb players don't realize that the rule includes INT's, fumbles ect. You can't do it according the the wording of the rule... NO incentive for play what so ever and every clown has admit it except Darren Sharper and John Lynch.

If you punish a team hard for breaking the rule for just taking a player out then you have to punish for everything under the rule. So they are going to have to take their time...

Actually I want them to hand out the penalties today!!!

Look, if a player gets suspended for a year or 8 weeks we can cut them now and go after other FA's.

They take draft picks they can take them from this years picks not next years... although I could careless if they take picks because we can make up for it in FA. Which if they take say our second we'd know to snag another FA.

Nice how this poop is thrown into the public arena without any indication as to how it will play out, isn't it?

Release sanctions in conjunction with accusations. This isn't a trial (criminal, civil) where jurisprudence must be followed.

The NFL should keep it's "stinking pie-hole" shut until it completes it's investigation and is ready to rule on punishment.

Am I alone in thinking that this cloud hanging over the organization might sway players' decisions about signing here?

One word: Publicity

It's a double-edge sword for the NFL, because it knows it has looming problems with former players crawling out from under rocks claiming they were mistreated by the league...

...but any press is good press, so to speak...

I think it all depends on what type of player we are signing. A player coming to win a SB this year. No way they will sign with us.

Good to average players... maybe. I mean after all its a job first and foremost. Secondly, most of the suspensions will be over and done with this season HOPEFULLY. So if I got a deal to be here say 2 to 3 years I'll take it. Draft picks I could careless about because you can make up for it by FA. Also, with suspensions looming that means more playing time for me depending on position I played.

If you think this will make a hill of beans difference whether they sign with us you are absolutely delusional!

We have the means to win more SB's. This is blown out of whack by the media. Nothing has been proven! There is no evidence shown. EVERYTHING IS SPECULATION.

To think someone would not sign with us because our FORMER DC had this "pay for performance" program is HILARIOUS.

This is a VERY good and in-depth article that everyone should take the time to read, even though it's long.

To me, the biggest part was

But the NFLPA, which released its most comprehensive statement to date on the scandal late Wednesday, has not yet launched what it considers an independent investigation of the matter, according to league sources. The union's probe could be further complicated by its potentially conflicting themes: protect the players who comprise its membership and ensure player safety is a paramount issue.

This sounds to me like the Player's Association is going to "fight back" by conducting its OWN investigation, to get to the bottom of it. Goodell has kind of put himself out on an island with this one, by putting this inflammatory and uncorroborated stuff out there and sending it out to all 32 teams and Peter King, leaking selected bits of it to the media, and doing it kind of unilaterally without consulting anybody. By rule he is supposed to "confer" with the NFLPA on penalties and punishments etc. But if they are conducting their OWN INVESTIGATION, that says to me that they must not like something about the initial investigation - probably the hearsay or circumstantial element of it - and the NFLPA wants to verify and find out more facts and get more information about what really happened, to protect past and current players from being thrown under the bus by Goodell. This story isn't over yet.

I don't think it changes any player's view on suiting up for the Saints unless some kind of draconian, ham-stringing punishment is levied by the NFL that would severly impact New Orleans for years to come ..... something like in college where they get a postseason ban, TV ban, loss of scholarships, probation, et... It impacts a program for years and discourages recruits.

That's the only way I see players not wanting to come to the Saints.