Legal Tampering Period Opens Across NFL

The negotiation period opens across the league for free agency, but don't expect the Saints to make any big splashes right away.

John Hendrix | Mar 13, 2023

Legal Tampering Period Opens Across NFL /

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New Orleans Saints

Today starts the NFL's legal tampering period. We're finally at this point in the NFL Calendar, and tons of eyes will on the Saints to see where they go. As a reminder, here's what all of that means, as it's simply an opportunity for teams to discuss interest with a player's agent.

Negotiation Period. During the period beginning at 11 a.m. CT, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2022 player contract. No contracts cannot be executed until the start of the new league year.

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The Saints aren't expected to make major splashes in the early goings of free agency, as Dennis Allen alluded to on Saturday. The team is still trying to see what they can do within their own building to keep some of their guys. However, they're going to be shoppers in a few areas.

Where the Saints Will Be Shopping

Defensive Tackle - The market is already off to a wild start here after Daron Payne got a 4-year, $90 million deal from Washington. David Onyemata, Shy Tuttle, Malcolm Roach, and Kentavius Street are all free agents for the Saints, so this would be their area of top priority going into free agency.
Running Back - Despite what happens with Alvin Kamara, this is an area New Orleans has expressed interest in getting better at. That's likely to happen from both the draft and free agency, and there will be tons of options available.
Wide Receiver - All eyes are on what happens with Michael Thomas, as the team has not ruled out him returning to the mix. However, don't expect the Saints to throw all their eggs in that basket. They're particularly looking for a possession receiver that can help move the sticks, something that they desperately missed last season.
Safety - It's quietly an area of need, particularly in the depth department. Justin Evans, Daniel Sorensen, and P.J. Williams are all set to become free agents. New Orleans is expected to work in Alontae Taylor into some slot duties next season, but the way Dennis Allen runs his defense will dictate that they have some versatile safety play.

We'll see how everything unfolds for the Saints, but it'll be fascinating how things come together. With New Orleans landing Derek Carr, there might be some intrigue for outside players. One thing that Allen hit on is that the team doesn't try to hide anything in the courting process.

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Published Mar 13, 2023

JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net