The NFL's offseason isn't quite as breathless as the season itself, but it's not for lack of trying. Keep up with everything you need to know right here.
Now that Super Bowl LX has come and gone and the Seattle Seahawks are world champions, everyone in the NFL is officially looking forward to the offseason.
Check out our team-by-team offseason previews right here, which detail positional needs, cap space, draft capital, and much more for all 32 clubs.
And here’s your guide to the NFL’s offseason calendar. Bookmark these dates.
2026 NFL scouting combine
Feb. 23-March 2, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft are invited to work out, get measurements and do interviews as part of the draft process.
Franchise tag and transition tag deadline
March 3, 4 p.m. ET
Teams can place either a franchise tag or transition tag on players under contract in an attempt to work out a long-term deal, or have them play the following season under the tag.
Here are the projected franchise tag positional values, via Over The Cap:
Quarterback: $47.321 million
Running back: $14.536 million
Wide receiver: $28.824 million
Tight end: $16.319 million
Offensive line: $27.924 million
Defensive end: $27.322 million
Defensive tackle: $26.311 million
Linebacker: $28.197 million
Cornerback: $21.414 million
Safety: $20.876 million
Punter/kicker: $6.9 million
2026 NFL free agency
Legal tampering period: March 9 at noon ET through March 11 at 4 p.m. ET
Free agency begins on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET
For those first two days March 9-11, teams are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with certified agents of players set to be unrestricted free agents. Players not represented by certified agents are permitted to communicate directly with a team’s front office but not the head coach or members of the coaching staff.
Free agents are officially eligible to sign their contracts starting with the new league year on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.
Annual league meeting
March 29-April 1, Phoenix
NFL team owners will gather and vote on various rules and regulations — including (likely) another proposed tush push ban.
2026 NFL Draft
April 23-25 in Pittsburgh
The NFL’s marquee offseason event takes place near Acrisure Field, home of the Steelers, in downtown Pittsburgh. The first round will take place the evening of Thursday, April 23, with Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 24 in the evening and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday starting in the morning. Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the Las Vegas Raiders.
NFL rookie minicamps
May 1-4 OR May 8-11
Teams can choose which set of dates they want to hold rookie minicamps, which serve as extended orientations to life as an NFL player and with their particular franchise.
2026 NFL schedule release
Mid-May
The NFL has turned its schedule release into a marquee offseason event unto itself. Certain games and matchup leak in the days and even months leading up to the release (like Rams-49ers in the first-ever Australia game), and opponents home and away are predetermined by division, divisional rotations and previous season finish. But we get the full, final regular season schedule in May.
Spring league meeting
May 19-20, Orlando
NFL team owners convene again for more proposals and potential votes.
Organized team activities (voluntary and mandatory)
Late May through mid-June
Teams usually hold OTAs in two separate sessions, one voluntary and one not. This helps them with the very beginning of personnel evaluation in practice settings as well as playbook installation.
June 1
The famous date of demarcation between pre- and post-June 1 cuts. Teams frequently designate players they’re releasing as post-June 1 cuts to spread the cap hit out over two seasons.
Further explanation, via Over The Cap:
For example let’s say a player has four years remaining on his contract and $5 million in prorated charges in each of those seasons. If he was cut prior to June 1 that would lead to $20 million in dead money this year. If cut after June 1 the player would instead have just $5 million in dead money in 2023 and now $15 million in 2024. While still the same number over two seasons, the team has an out rather than being stuck due to the salary cap.
Franchise tag signing deadline
July 15, 4 p.m. ET
Any player designated with a franchise tag must sign a multiyear contract or extension by this time, or else they may only sign a one-year contract which cannot be extended until after the last regular season game.
2026 NFL training camps
Teams begin training camp in mid- to late July, with Hall of Fame Game participants usually starting earlier and rookies reporting to some franchise’s camps earlier than full squad. Dates and schedules will
Category: General Sports
