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The NFL instituted the "legal tampering period" in 2012 which would allow teams to contact agents for players and negotiate deals before the new league year and the actual start to free agency officially began. The legal tampering period certainly brought some questionable legality into play, especially as teams agreed to terms with players who could not officially sign nor have they directly talked to throughout the free agency process.
That will change in the 2026 offseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers proposed to alter the legal tampering period to allow for remote video calls and visits to be lined up with free agents prior to the start of the new league year (during the legal tampering period), which received enough votes to pass.
Speaking with free agents during the legal tampering period is a massive change for the league, as teams were not allowed to talk to free agents and could only speak with players' agents. If a franchise agreed to terms with a player, the visit to the team's facility couldn't occur until the start of the new league year. That changes in 2026, as teams can make their pitch to the players via Zoom and can actually bring them into their building.
There are some restrictions with the new rules. Teams can only have a phone or video call with up to five free agents and can only make the travel plans to the team's facility upon agreeing to terms on a contract. The players still can't visit the facility until the new league year begins, making the legal tampering period still relevant.
This is somewhat similar to the pre-legal tampering period days, when teams just waited until the new league year started (it used to be midnight) and it would be a free-for-all for teams to contact free agents and get them into their building first.
With teams allowed to speak to players during the legal tampering period, this changes the game for free agency.
