National Football League

Sources: GMs to log all agent contact

Published Mar. 14, 2011 3:50 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

The NFL lockout has made business relations between teams and player agents far more difficult.

Not only is communication between the two parties about current NFL players now against league rules, two sources have told FOXSports.com that the league is requiring general managers to keep a log of every conversation held with an agent.

The two parties are allowed to discuss college prospects in this year's draft. The same goes for personal business if a player agent also represents a general manager or head coach.

The NFL, though, has warned coaches and team officials that discussions of current players or pending free agents during a lockout is prohibited. NFL employees are also prohibited from contact with players.

The league is concerned about violations potentially being used by the NFL Players Association in litigation.

With a previous lack of regulation and punishment for all but the most blatant of tampering charges, the NFL's mandate probably won't discourage all prohibited contact. But it may make some GMs think twice before being willing to risk NFL punishment.

This is just one of the ways in which the landscape has changed for NFL agents since the NFLPA decertified as a union last Friday after being unable to reach agreement with the league on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. There is now no official regulatory board for agents. Depending on state law, players may now be able to seek representation from such non-agents as friends, family members or even those suspended under NFLPA rules.

Some agents also would have their livelihood affected if the NFL and NFLPA eventually agree upon a new wage scale that tempers the value of rookie contracts.