NFL’s legal tampering period before free agency, explained

The NFL will begin its new league year on Wednesday, and with that will come the beginning of free agency. Contracts will expire and a flood of players will be on the open market.

But the action really gets started Monday when the NFL’s “legal tampering period” begins at 12 p.m. ET.

Why does the legal tampering period exist?

The NFL wants to turn every single aspect of their calendar into spectacle. Even the NFL Scouting Combine has thousands of fans in attendance after decades of being held in front of scouts, coaches, and executives only.

Turning free agency into a primetime event is difficult, though.

According to NFL rules, teams aren’t permitted to contact another club’s players or coaches. That’s considered “tampering” and can results in fines or even a loss of draft picks. But that previously meant that teams couldn’t contact prospective free agents until the new league year started.

That caused many of the blockbuster deals of yesteryear to take days to come together.

So the league tweaked the rules in 2013 to give teams 52 hours to begin contacting soon-to-be free agents and begin working out offers and negotiations. By the time free agency actually begins on Wednesday afternoon, many of the biggest deals of the offseason will already be agreed upon and need only a signature on the dotted line.

Last year, the Jaguars were able to announce deals with Christian Kirk, Foye Oluokun, Brandon Scherff, Evan Engram, Zay Jones, and Folorunso Fatukasi on the day free agency began.

What’s allowed and what’s still illegal?

While negotiations will begin Monday, teams can’t actually contact the players themselves. During the two-day period, “all aspects of an NFL player contract” can be discussed with a certified player agent.

That also means no visits to team facilities until free agency actually begins Wednesday.

Also, while teams will undoubtedly reach agreements with players ahead of the start of free agency, those deals can’t be announced until they’re made official Wednesday.

Which Jaguars are set to become free agents?

Impending free agents from Jacksonville include offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, pass rusher Arden Key, wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., pass rusher Dawuane Smoot, safety Andrew “Dewey” Wingard, cornerback Tre Herndon, and tight ends Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold.