NFL 2026 offseason calendar (USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
NFL offseason calendar is already in motion, and front offices across the league have little time to catch their breath. The Super Bowl confetti has barely settled, yet attention has shifted to contract tags, scouting reports and draft boards.
For fans, the quiet weeks of February often hide some of the most important decisions of the year.This stretch shapes rosters long before Week 1 arrives. From franchise tag calls to the start of training camp, every date on the calendar carries weight. Coaches refine plans. Executives manage cap space. Players prepare for movement. Here is how the next several months will unfold and why each checkpoint matters.
NFL offseason calendar: Key dates, what happens and why they matter
The first major marker arrives February 17, when the franchise tag window opens.
Teams have until March 3 to designate franchise or transition tags, a move that can keep a star in place or complicate negotiations. Those two weeks often define leverage in contract talks.On February 23, the league’s attention turns to Indianapolis. The NFL scouting combine runs through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Prospects meet teams, undergo medical checks and work out in front of decision makers. A strong showing can boost draft stock.
A poor one can raise doubts.Free agency begins to take shape March 9 when the legal tampering window opens. For two days, teams can negotiate with unrestricted free agents. Then, on March 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET, the new league year officially begins. Contracts can be signed. Trades can become official. Rosters can change in a hurry.League leadership gathers March 29 through April 1 in Phoenix for the annual meeting. Rule changes and broader league issues often surface there.April brings a rush of deadlines. Teams with new head coaches may start offseason conditioning programs April 6. Clubs must stop hosting draft prospects at their facilities after April 15. Restricted free agents face an April 17 deadline to sign offer sheets, with April 22 marking the final day for teams to match them. April 22 is also the last day for in-person visits or interviews with draft eligible players.The centerpiece of the spring arrives April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh.
The 2026 NFL Draft unfolds over three days, reshaping depth charts across the league.By May 1, teams must decide on fifth year options for players drafted in 2023. Rookie minicamps follow in early May. OTAs run from late May into mid June.The final pressure point comes July 15, the deadline to sign franchise tagged players to long term extensions. Soon after, training camps open in mid to late July. The long march back to football Sundays will be underway.
