Important 2025 NFL Offseason Dates
Frank Coyle/ Don Hope
www.draftinsiders.com
While the 2025 league year does not technically begin until March 12th, there are many key calendar dates that are part of the NFL offseason process. The following are the key dates on the league calendar between now and week 1 of the NFL season.
February 10th – As of the Monday after the Super Bowl, teams are allowed to start releasing players without any repercussion on the 2024 Salary Cap. All veteran players with more than four (4) accrued seasons are immediately free agents and not subject to waivers. All non-vested veterans (i.e. less than four (4) accrued seasons) are subject to waivers. If they clear waivers, they immediately become free agents and are free to sign a contract at any time (even if before March 12th).
With the new league year set to commence on March 12th, teams generally start making salary cap moves in late February and early March.
February 24th – March 3rd – NFL Draft Combine
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Early March – The date that the NFL has announced the list of Compensatory Draft picks has varied over the years from the Friday of the NFL Combine to more recently, just before the new league year (March 10th in 2020 and 2021; March 15th in 2022; March 9th in 2023; March 11th in 2024). Each year 32 additional Compensatory selections are distributed to teams who lose more Free Agents than they sign. Additionally, teams are compensated for losing minority coaches or personnel men the prior season.
February 18th – March 4th – As of February 18th, teams can begin designating pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) with the Franchise or Transition Tag. If a team wants to use either Tag, they must do so by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 4th.
March 10th – The “legal tampering” window opens. At Noon on March 10th, teams and pending UFAs can start discussing contract offers and terms with potential free agents, though a contract cannot be agreed upon until March 12th.
March 12th – At 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 12th, the 2025 NFL League year begins:
Teams must have submitted tender offers to all of their Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) and Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) who they want to retain.
Teams must exercise all 2025 contract options tied to the first day of the league year.
Free agency begins for Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) and Restricted Free Agents (RFAs)
The trading period begins. Any trades agreed to before this date can now be officially consummated.
All teams must be under the Salary Cap and the Rule of 51 Cap computation begins.
The 2025 Salary Cap has yet to be officially announced, but most reports are expecting it to be in the $270-275M range. This number will obviously change between now and March 12th as teams make other moves – RFA/ERFA tenders, signing, re-signings, restructures and/or contract extensions – aimed at creating additional Cap space.
April 18th – The deadline for teams to sign RFAs to an offer sheet. If another team signs a RFA to an offer sheet, the player’s present team has five (5) days to match that offer or potentially (depending on the tender given to the player) receive draft pick compensation if they decline to match. With the draft starting on April 24th, the deadline to sign a player to an offer sheet and allow for the required 5-day match period is April 23rd.
April 24th-26th – The NFL Draft 2025 – Green Bay, Wisconsin
May 1st – May 1st is the CBA-mandated date (Monday after the NFL draft) by which 5th Year Options must be exercised for 4th year players who were drafted in the 1st round.
May 1st – The “May 1st Tender” date. This date, which was moved forward from June 1st a couple of years ago, is essentially the last date that the signing or losing of a free agent will count toward the Compensatory Draft pick calculation. The May 1st Tender is also a way a team can potentially obtain exclusive negotiating rights with a player later in the summer (after July 22nd). It also provides extended Comp pick eligibility if the player is tendered a contract of at least 110% of his prior year’s compensation by May 1st. Otherwise, if the player is not given the Tender, he no longer counts toward the Comp pick formula and the team does not gain any special negotiating advantage later in the off season.
