The regular season isn’t over yet and there’s still a postseason to potentially run through for the Cincinnati Bengals, if they can sneak their way in this weekend. But eventually, the season will come to an end and teams will begin focusing on the 2025 season. Thursday saw that path unveiled as the NFL revealed key dates during the offseason. Let’s take a look at some of those dates.
January 6:
- Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2025 season, including players from the CFL.
- Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2022 NFL Draft or any undrafted rookie who signed in 2023. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts.
- Clubs may exercise fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
January 15:
- Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility.
January 30:
- East-West Shrine Bowl, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
February 1:
- Senior Bowl, Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
February 18:
- Beginning this date through 4:00 p.m., New York time on March 4, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 24-March 3:
- NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 4:
- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 10-12:
- During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 10 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2024 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 12.
- During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor (“unrepresented player”) is permitted to communicate directly with a new club’s front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club’s coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations. The club is responsible for confirming the player’s status as an unrepresented player.
- No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 12.
March 12:
- The 2025 League Year and free agency signing period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
- Trading period for 2025 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2024 contracts.
- The first day of the 2025 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12.
March 30-April 2:
- Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.
April 7:
- Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2024 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 16:
- Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.
April 18:
- Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 21:
- Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 23:
- Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.
- Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 24-26:
- NFL Draft, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
May 1:
- Deadline for clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in the first round of the 2022 Draft.
May 2-5 or May 9-12:
- Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.
May 12:
- Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 14-18:
- NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Los Angeles, California.
May 20-21:
- Spring League Meeting/Coach Accelerator, Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 1:
- Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned restricted free agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
June 15:
- Deadline for club to withdraw higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).
Late June:
- Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.
July 15:
- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2025 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July:
- Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players. A club’s preseason training camp will be deemed to have officially opened on the designated reporting date for all rookies.
- Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed a player contract with any NFL club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
- Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies.
July 21:
- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 21 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp [July 16 in 2025], whichever is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
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