NFL free agency explained from salary cap and tampering to franchise and transition tags Boston 25 News [Video]

The NFL’s free agency frenzy kicks off Monday with a 52-hour legal tampering period ahead of the official start of the new league year on Wednesday.

Several star players, including Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Giants running back Saquon Barkley, will be free to sign a contract with a new team.

Here’s an explanation of rules and terms:

WHAT DOES LEGAL TAMPERING MEAN?

At 12 p.m. EDT on Monday, teams can start negotiating with players who will become unrestricted free agents when their contracts expire at the start of the new league year on 4 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Players can’t sign with new teams until the league year officially begins. The two-day negotiating period applies only to players who will be unrestricted free agents.

WHO ARE UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS?

Any player with four or more accrued seasons — six or more regular-season games on a club’s active/inactive, reserve/injured or reserve/physically unable to perform lists — whose contract has expired becomes an unrestricted free agent and may …