NFL Legal Tampering Window Reaction, Maxx Crosby To Ravens, Miami Perfection, Andrew Abbott Opening Day Starter

On today's show, we react live to some of the moves that went down on Monday, including Tua Tagovailoa's release and the Cowboys trading for Rashan Gary. Plus, we discuss the Bengals missing out on Maxx Crosby and him coming to the AFC North, Miami's perfect season after a wild Friday night win and another missed opportunity for Wes Miller and the Bearcats.

The NFL offseason officially kicked into high gear Monday with the opening of the league’s “legal tampering” window, the two-day negotiating period that often produces a flood of reported deals before free agency formally begins. Starting at noon ET on March 9, teams were allowed to begin negotiating contract terms with the agents of unrestricted free agents across the league.

While no contracts can be signed until the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the tampering window has become the unofficial launch of free agency. Teams routinely reach handshake agreements during this period, which are then formally announced once the league year begins.

This year’s negotiating window also includes a notable tweak to the rules. For the first time, teams are permitted to directly contact a limited number of players — up to five free agents — via phone or video call during the period. Previously, communication had to occur strictly through agents.

The change reflects the NFL’s effort to streamline the process and make discussions more transparent, though the irony remains that the so-called “tampering” period often produces immediate reports of massive deals across the league. With teams finalizing their salary cap strategies and targeting key roster upgrades, the next 48 hours typically shape the early landscape of the free agency market.

Meanwhile in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Reds made a notable announcement ahead of the 2026 season by naming Andrew Abbott their Opening Day starter. The left-hander will take the mound at Great American Ball Park on March 26 against the Boston Red Sox, marking the first Opening Day assignment of his MLB career.

Abbott, 27, has quickly developed into one of the anchors of the Reds’ rotation since debuting in 2023. He earned his first All-Star selection in 2025 and has posted strong numbers early in his career, including a 3.42 ERA and hundreds of strikeouts through his first few major league seasons.

His selection also reflects the club’s confidence in his continued development as a front-line starter. With the Reds aiming to contend in the National League Central, giving Abbott the ball on Opening Day signals both recognition of his performance and the team’s belief that he can lead the pitching staff into the new season.

Together, the NFL’s free-agency frenzy and the Reds’ pitching decision highlight how early March marks a pivotal transition period across the sports calendar — one where roster moves and key announcements begin shaping the months ahead.

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