clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Important 2018 NFL offseason dates

Your list of everything going on this offseason

Following the end of the 2017 season with the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018, all 32 teams will turn to offseason mode. While that evaluation has begun early for the Buffalo Bills and 23 other NFL teams, the deadlines are all the same.

Here are the important dates for the 2018 NFL offseason.

Scouting

  • January 15: Deadline for underclassmen to declare for Draft
  • January 20: East-West Shrine Game
  • January 20: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
  • January 27: Senior Bowl
  • February 27 - March 5: NFL Scouting Combine

Free Agency

  • January 31: CFL Try-out and negotiation deadline
  • February 20: Franchise/Transition tag period opens
  • March 6: Franchise/Transition tag period ends
  • March 12-14: Legal Tampering period
  • March 14, 4 p.m. Eastern: Free agency and trading begins
  • April 20: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
  • June 15: Deadline for club to withdraw RFA offer and replace with June 15 Tender (1 year, 110% of previous salary)
  • July 16: Deadline to re-sign franchise player
  • July 23: Deadline for new team to sign transition player

League Admin

  • March 25-28: Annual league meeting
  • May 21-23: Spring league meeting
  • May 14: Rookie Football Development Program begins

Offseason Training Programs

  • April 2: Teams with new head coaches may start programs
  • April 16: Teams with returning head coaches may start programs

NFL Draft

  • April 26-28: 2018 NFL Draft

OTAs and Minicamps

  • May 4-7 or May 11-14: Rookie Minicamp (three days)
  • May 28 - June 24: OTA and Minicamp window

Training Camp

  • Mid-July: Training camp begins
  • 15 days prior to first preseason game or July 15, whichever is later: Veterans report
  • Rookies may report up to seven days prior to veterans
  • Quarterbacks and injured players may report up to five days prior to veterans if rookies have reported

Preseason

  • August 2: Hall of Fame Game
  • August 2-5: Hall of Fame Weekend
  • August 7: Deadline for signed players to report to receive accrued season

Regular season

  • September 1, 4 p.m. Eastern: 53-man roster cuts
  • September 2, 1 p.m. Eastern: Teams may begin filling practice squads
  • September 6: Opening night of Week 1
  • September 9-10: Week 1 concludes