Yahoo: NFL formally opens investigation into Redskins tampering of Haynesworth

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

This tampering business will not end until players and agents are punished by the league. Now the league wants to make an example out of the Redskins, since they are so high profiled by the media. Meanwhile, Parcells signed a free agent last year at 12:30am, and nothing was made of it. The league really needs to fix this by punishing agents and players (as well as the teams), and also beginning the free agency period sooner.

Excellent point! How is it possible that he could sign someone in half an hour if he didn't have previous contact?
To me, it's not tampering...they have minds of their own, they can choose not to accept a deal and to look around, how is it tampering to look into a player "early". It wasn't formal, so who cares? This is just being picky.
So what if a team employee was a friend of a player on another team, and while they were drinking beer and playing pool one night, the team employee suggested the player sit out to try to get a contract extension? Is that tampering?