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March 29-April 1, 2026
Annual NFL League Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 6
Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season may begin
offseason workout programs.
April 15
Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-
eligible player at its club facility.
April 17
Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 20
Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 22
Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer
sheets.
Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a
physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 23-25
NFL Draft, Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 1
Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2023
Draft.
May 1-4 or May 8-11
Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through
Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.
May 11
Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
Mid-May
Schedules Released
May 13-17
NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Los Angeles, Cali.
May 19-20
Spring League Meeting, Orlando, Fla.
June 1
Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned restricted free agents who
received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only for such player to be subject to the
CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
June 15
Deadline for club to withdraw higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain
exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110
percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year
contract carried forward unchanged).
Late June
Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.
July 15
At 4:00 p.m. ET, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to
a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract
with his prior club for the 2026 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the
club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July
Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has
never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days
prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players.
Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed an NFL player contract
with any club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report
on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not
limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the
designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) 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. At 4:00
p.m. ET, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and
until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club
has exclusive negotiating rights.
July 22
At 4:00 p.m. ET, on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp whichever
is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by
prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of
the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
operations.nfl.com
Annual NFL League Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 6
Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season may begin
offseason workout programs.
April 15
Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-
eligible player at its club facility.
April 17
Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 20
Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 22
Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer
sheets.
Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a
physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 23-25
NFL Draft, Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 1
Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2023
Draft.
May 1-4 or May 8-11
Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through
Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.
May 11
Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
Mid-May
Schedules Released
May 13-17
NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Los Angeles, Cali.
May 19-20
Spring League Meeting, Orlando, Fla.
June 1
Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned restricted free agents who
received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only for such player to be subject to the
CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
June 15
Deadline for club to withdraw higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain
exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110
percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year
contract carried forward unchanged).
Late June
Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.
July 15
At 4:00 p.m. ET, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to
a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract
with his prior club for the 2026 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the
club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July
Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has
never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days
prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players.
Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed an NFL player contract
with any club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report
on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not
limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the
designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) 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. At 4:00
p.m. ET, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and
until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club
has exclusive negotiating rights.
July 22
At 4:00 p.m. ET, on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp whichever
is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by
prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m. ET, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of
the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
2026 NFL Important Dates | NFL Football Operations
Get an overview of the important NFL dates for the 2026 league year.
