With the NFL offseason in full swing, here is a detailed breakdown of key offseason dates, provided by NFL Communications.
IMPORTANT DATES:
2/20/2016 – NFL Regional Combines, Arizona Cardinals Training Facility, Phoenix, Arizona.
2/23/2016 – 2/29/2016 – NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
2/27/2016 – NFL Regional Combines, Baltimore Ravens Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Maryland.
3/1/2016 – Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
3/5/2016 – NFL Regional Combines, Minnesota Vikings Training Facility Max Winter Park, Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
3/7/2016 – 3/9/2016 – 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 2015 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9.
3/9/2016 – Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2016 on all players who have option clauses in their 2015 contracts.
3/9/2016 – Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
3/9/2016 – Prior to 400 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2015 contracts and who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit. Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2016 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time All 2015 player contracts expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The 2016 league year and free agency period begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The first day of the 2016 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9. 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 9. Trading period for 2016 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2015 contracts.
3/12/2016 – NFL Regional Combines, New Orleans Saints Training Facility, Metairie, Louisiana.
3/20/2016 – 3/23/2016 – Annual League Meeting, Boca Raton, Florida.
4/4/2016 – Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2015 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
4/18/2016 – Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
4/22/2016 – Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign Offer Sheets.
4/28/2016 – 4/30/2016 – 2016 NFL Draft, Chicago, Illinois.
4/30/2016 – After the final selection in the Draft has been made, clubs may begin signing Undrafted Free Agents who were eligible for the 2016 Draft.
5/6/2016 – 5/9/2016 – First weekend after the NFL Draft clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
5/9/2016 – Rookie Football Development Program Begins.
5/13/2016 – 5/16/2016 – Second weekend after the NFL Draft clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
5/20/2016 – 5/23/2016 – 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.
5/23/2016 – 5/25/2016 – NFL Spring League Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina.
6/1/2016 – 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.
6/2/2016 – For any player removed from the club’s roster or whose contract is assigned via waivers or trade on or after June 2, any unamortized signing bonus amounts for future years will be included fully in Team Salary at the start of the 2017 League Year.
6/15/2016 – 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).
6/19/2016 – 6/25/2016 – Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio.
7/15/2016 – 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 2016 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Source: Important Dates
