2018 Offseason Dates to Remember

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January 15, 2018

by Steve Thomas

We’ll have lots of good substantive content this week, but for now we wanted to start off Monday morning with a quick look at the important dates on NFL’s offseason calendar (we cut out quite a bit for the sake of readability).  Bookmark this page for future reference:

 
January 1 Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2018 season.
January 1 Clubs may renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2015 NFL Draft. 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.
January 1 Option exercise period begins for fifth-year option for first-round selections from the 2015 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after January 1, but prior to May 3.
January 15 Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. A list of players who are accepted into the NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 19.
January 20 East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
January 20 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.
January 27 Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
 
February 5 Waiver system begins for 2018.
February 20 First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 27-March 5 NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
March 6 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 12-14 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 2017 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14.
March 14 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2018 on all players who have option clauses in their 2017 contracts.
March 14 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
March 14 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2017 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
March 14 Top 51 begins. All clubs must be under the 2018 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 14 All 2017 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 14 The 2018 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 14 Trading period for 2018 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2017 contracts.
March 25-28 Annual League Meeting, Orlando, Florida.
 
April 2 Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2017 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 16 Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 20 Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.
April 26-28 2018 NFL Draft, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX.
 
May 4-7 Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 8 Deadline for prior club to send “May 8 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 23 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.
May 11-14 Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 14 Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 17-20 NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited Rookies (typically, first and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.
May 21-23 Spring League Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
 
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 qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “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 Transition Program to be held at individual clubs. Attendance is mandatory for all rookies.
July 16 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 2018 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
July 23* Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 8 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.
* or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.
July 23 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.
 
August 2 Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio.
August 2-5 Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
 
September 1 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.

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