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Horse Tracks: Let the "legal tampering" period begin

Good Morning Broncos

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

At midnight, all 32 teams in the NFL were allowed to begin contract negotiations with players who will be free agents when the 2015 league year begins on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

For the Broncos, that means players such as Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin, Terrance Knighton and Rahim Moore will begin hearing official pitches for their services.

According to the rules, free agents can’t visit interested teams prior to Tuesday. Also, teams are only supposed to outline parameters of an offer, not enter into agreements(Yeah right).

Back in 2013 when this was put into place, the NFL sent out a memo to explain this process. Here is a portion of the memo that helps explain this three day period.

Clubs are further advised that prior to the beginning of the new League Year it is impermissible for a club to enter into an agreement of any kind, express or implied, oral or written, or promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent or understandings of any kind concerning the terms or conditions of employment offered to, or to be offered to, any prospective Unrestricted Free Agent for inclusion in a Player Contract after the start of the new League Year. Any announcement of an agreement or an agreement in principle by a club or another party, including, but not limited to, a certified agent, player, or media organization may subject the club to a tampering investigation.

So expect a ton of rumors to begin starting today. We should get an idea of what players the Broncos have their eyes set on, and we'll also see what teams have interest in the Broncos free agents who are hitting the free agent market.

Broncos linebacker Steven Johnson not tendered:

Mike Klis of the Denver Broncos tweeted out last night that the Denver Broncos did not place a tender on linebacker Steven Johnson. This means the reserve linebacker will hit the Free Agent market.

If the Broncos placed a tender on Johnson it would have cost them 1.542 million towards the cap. Klis does say that the Broncos have not ruled out re-signing the linebacker to a lesser salary later, but he will be able to shop his services around the league.

Horse Tracks: