On Wednesday afternoon, the NFL’s 2021 league year will officially begin. As has been the case every season since 2013, the start of that new season as well as free agency are preceded by the so-called “legal tampering period” — a three-day window that is often mentioned but does spark plenty of questions.
So, what is its exactly? And how does legal tampering impact the New England Patriots and the league as a whole? Let’s dig into the matter to find out.
What is the legal tampering window?
In 2013, the NFL wanted to crack down on pre-free agency tampering by clubs via the introduction of the legal tampering period — a 52-hour window during which all pending unrestricted free agents are allowed to enter preliminary negotiations with the other organizations in the league, not just the ones that still hold their rights until the official start of free agency on March 17 at 4 pm ET.