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A league source tells us that the Miami Dolphins are suspicious that one or more teams have been engaged in direct communications with quarterback Daunte Culpepper. And since Culpepper acts as his own agent, it should be easy for the Dolphins to prove it.

Tampering is a way of life in the NFL. Every February, teams talk to the agents of players who won't technically become free agents until March. Every summer, the agents of players who are faced with a "take a pay cut or move on (and move out)" ultimatum will "gauge the market" in order to decide whether the player would get more money elsewhere if he stands firm.

But agents talk to team officials for a variety of reasons. And that makes it hard to prove that any specific conversation involved a player about whom they should not be talking. If, for example, Daunte Culpepper were represented by Tom Condon, there would be no way to prove that Tom Condon was talking to, for example, Rams coach Scott Linehan about what St. Louis would pay to Culpepper if/when he lands on the open market. Condon could be talking to Linehan about any of the players he represents who are currently members of the team, or merely engaging in relationship maintenance.

In Culpepper's case, phone records showing conversations between Culpepper and any person employed by any team other than the Dolphins will be the proverbial smoking gun in a tampering case.

And based on Culpepper's refusal to restructure his current contract in order to facilitate a trade and his demand for a release, we're very suspicious that he has gotten this strategy from a team that has a wink-nod deal in place to sign him when he is finally released. If that team can help Culpepper force his release, that team won't have to give up a draft pick.

"Daunte," the team might have said, "just hold firm and refuse to re-do your deal. You'll eventually be cut, and we'll sign you after it happens."

Memo to any team that has been talking to Culpepper: It might be a good idea to commence puckering.

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