Setting the stage for the next few days for the Washington Redskins:

The legal tampering period begins at noon Monday, which means teams can talk to agents for prospective free agents. No deals can be reached, but both sides get a feel for if a possible union can work (read: if the money is right). You will hear a few names connected to the Redskins; it does not mean they’ll sign those players.

The Redskins have 15 unrestricted free agents; it was 16 until quarterback Kirk Cousins was taken off the market thanks to the franchise tag. All of these players are now free to talk to other teams. It doesn’t mean they won’t return, but it does mean they’ll now be looking around. The Redskins remain in talks with a number of their own free agents.

The Redskins must be in compliance with the salary cap by 4 p.m. Wednesday and will get there with one big move: releasing Robert Griffin III. That’ll save them $16.155 million and leave them approximately $8-10 million above the cap.

There’s still a chance Griffin will get traded and perhaps after a day of the legal tampering period some team will realize it might be easier to trade for him then to sign someone else. However, to do so will require Griffin to redo his 2016 option before the start of the league year. If he thinks there will be several teams strongly interested, it’s in his best interest to just wait (unless the team wanting to trade, and the redo of his option, are in sync) until he’s free. No player can be traded until after the league year begins, which is why any sort of redo of his option must take place beforehand. No team would trade for his $16.155 million option.

The Redskins already have made offers to their three exclusive-rights free agents: Chris Thompson, Tress Way and Will Compton. Because they made an offer, the Redskins retain exclusive negotiating rights. They have until 4 p.m. Wednesday to make an offer to their restricted free agents, Duke Ihenacho and Tom Compton. Once they make them a qualifying offer, they either retain right of first refusal or compensation should they leave, depending on how the offer is designated.