rest - http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-e...medium=twitterFree agency technically begins at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, but that won't be the first chance NFL clubs have to begin conversations with the agents of players they covet.
Effective at 12 p.m. Saturday, the NFL opens what has become commonly known as a "legal tampering window." While teams cannot execute a contract with a free agent (other than their own free agents) until Tuesday at 4 p.m., they can contact the agents of pending unrestricted free agents of other teams.
This allows teams to begin their pursuit of players that they believe could add value to their roster, while it allows the agents for players to assess the market that they are expected to have come the start of the new league year.