The NFL offseason has been in full swing for a few months now, but it will kick into overdrive on Tuesday, March 11 when free agency officially kicks off at 4 p.m. (ET).
Teams can get an early jump on it now though, as beginning at 12 noon today, March 8, they were able to begin contacting the agents of players slated to become unrestricted free agents and enter into contract negotiations during the three-day period that ends at the start of free agency.
There are some rules that come with it, though. No contracts can be executed with a new club until the start of free agency on Tuesday, March 11, at 4 p.m.
In addition, players set to become unrestricted free agents are not permitted to visit a team, other than the one they are currently with, at their facility or meet anywhere. There also isn't any direct contact permitted between pending free agents and teams, other than their own, which would include not being able to talk to a player who represents himself. No travel arrangements for a free agent's future visit can be made during the three-day period until their contracts expire on March 11.
The following are the Steelers' players slated to become unrestricted free agents: S Will Allen; WR Plaxico Burress; S Ryan Clark; WR Jerricho Cotchery; RB Jonathan Dwyer; DE Evander "Ziggy" Hood; TE David Johnson; RB Felix Jones; DE Brett Keisel; P Mat McBriar; TE Michael Palmer; WR Emmanuel Sanders; RB LaRod Stephens-Howling; LB Stevenson Sylvester; C Fernando Velasco; OL Cody Wallace; LS Greg Warren; LB Jamaal Westerman; G Guy Whimper; and DE Al Woods.
