It's never too early to start planning ahead for the very busy NFL offseason. The league recently released the following dates, leading right into the 2014 NFL Kickoff Weekend, beginning on Sep. 4 (240 days away).
January 11-12 -- Divisional Playoff Games.
January 18 -- East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
January 19 -- AFC and NFC Championship Games.
January 25 -- Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
January 26 -- Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii.
February 1 -- Announcement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2014 Class
February 2 -- Super Bowl XLVIII, MetLife Stadium, New York-New Jersey.
February 3 -- Waiver system begins for 2014.
February 17 -- First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 19-25 -- NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 3 -- Prior to 3:00 p.m. CT - deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 8 -- 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 2013 Player Contracts at 3:00 p.m. CT on March 11. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club, until 3:00 p.m. CT on March 11.
March 11 -- Prior to 3:00 p.m. CT, 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.
March 11 -- All 2013 player contracts will expire at 3:00 p.m. CT.
March 11 -- The 2014 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 3:00 p.m. CT.
March 11 -- Trading period for 2014 begins at 3:00 p.m. CT, after expiration of all 2013 contracts.
March 23-26 -- Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida.
April 21 -- Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
May 2 -- Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign Offer Sheets.
May 7 -- Deadline for Prior Club to exercise Right of First Refusal to Restricted Free Agents.
May 8-10 -- 2014 NFL Draft, New York City, New York.
May 19-21 -- NFL Spring League Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
June 22-28 -- Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio.
Mid-July -- Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for Rookies and First-Year Players, beginning seven days prior to the club's earliest-permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players.
Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season), other than quarterbacks or "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6), may report to a club's preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club's first-scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.
Veteran quarterbacks and injured players 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 and First-Year players.
A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club's roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who join the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
August 2 - 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony
September 4, 7-8 -- Kickoff Weekend 2014
- All times are subject to change.
