Dealing begins in NFL free agency

Let the dealing begin — if mostly unofficial.

The NFL’s “legal tampering period” in free agency began March 14 with a slew of deals even as many teams released veterans to clear salary cap space before the league’s business year begins March 16.

Most aggressive was the worst team in the league. Jacksonville, which has the first overall selection in the draft next month for the second straight year, got busy early.

The Jaguars agreed to sign Arizona receiver Christian Kirk, Washington guard Brandon Scherff, Atlanta linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and New York Jets defensive tackle Folorunso “Foley” Fatukasi, according to a person familiar with negotiations.

Also agreeing to move on were linebacker Haason Reddick, from Carolina to Philadelphia; guard Laken Tomlinson from San Francisco to the Jets; running back Chase Edmonds from Arizona to Miami; tackle Rodger Saffold from Tennessee to Buffalo — with many more switches to come.

Staying put are RB James Conner and QB Colt McCoy with the Cardinals; safeties Devin McCourty with the Patriots and Quandre Diggs with the Seahawks, who also retained tight end Will Dissly; All-Pro kick returner Braxton Berrios with the Jets; defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah with the Dolphins; linebacker Preston Smith with the Packers; center Brian Allen and tackle Joseph Noteboom with the Rams; center Mitch

Morse with the Bills; linebacker Alex Anzalone with the Lions; center Ben Jones and tight end Geoff Swaim with the Titans.

NFL

NETS FINED $50K » The NBA fined the Nets $50,000 for letting Kyrie Irving into their locker room during a game in which he was unable to play because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. Irving was a spectator at Barclays Center on March 13, sitting across from the Nets bench for Brooklyn’s 110-107 victory over the Knicks.

FLORES:

GOODELL

SHOULD ENSURE CASE

AVOID ARBITRATION » Brian Flores wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make sure his class-action lawsuit against the league and several teams over allegedly racist hiring practices isn’t settled behind closed doors. Flores said if Goodell truly wants to bring the kind of change the NFL’s top executive has talked about in the wake of the former Dolphins head coach’s unprecedented legal maneuver, then Goodell should make sure the case is adjudicated by a jury of Flores’ peers rather than in arbitration.

College basketball

SOUTH CAROLINA FIRES COACH » South Carolina has fired coach Frank Martin after 10 seasons with just one appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Athletic director Ray Tanner announced the move, saying the change came after a “thorough evaluation of our men’s basketball program.”