What Constitutes Tampering?

[3DaysLatr]

Linked story was written by Clayton, but my question is this....... What is considered tampering? Couch's agent is calling around shopping his client's name..... So if he calls 31 teams it's cool, but if he dials up the Skins Paquarelli will start screaming about tampering and demand our 1st round draft pick as compensation. WTF!!!!!!!!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=1761719

From the linked story above:

And now, Tim Couch is facing an even more limited market as his agent, Tom Condon of IMG, calls around trying to either promote a trade or set up a contract once the Browns release him for salary-cap reasons.

:rant: :rant:

[Art]

Couch was given permission to look around I thought, so no one can tamper with him. The tampering charges we usually get come from our engaging of players or agents PRIOR to teams allowing them to come free or before the league designates they are free.

The evidence most people use to support this is that we sign people to major contracts so quickly.

Of course, last night at this time, Warren Sapp was heading to the Bengals. Sometime after midnight the Raiders called. Today he's with the Raiders. Things move fast when they fall together and since our owner does the contracts we are at an advantage over other teams because there's no go between.

[bnacpa]

Well said Art! The other thing is when people say we tamper because discussions possibly take place before the free agent period begins. During that blackout period, teams can't talk to free agents even if they know that they will not be signed by their teams because their teams can still potentially sign them prior to the deadline.

[citigent]

tampering goes on by every team to some extend I would bet. it's just some teams only hide it enough that they can't be found guilty of it(synder). Other are more behind the scenes with it so that it doesn't appear to going on.