After the Super Bowl, the season in the NFL is officially ended, but the largest sports league in the world does not close its doors until the coming season. On the contrary: now the exciting offseason begins! Sport.de reveals what will happen in the coming weeks and months.
The NFL never actually sleeps. Just because the game is now ended again does not mean that nothing happens now. The offseason has no action on the field, but still provides us with enough topics and activities and events that are directional for the future of the 32 teams.
The obvious things like the NFL Scouting Combine, the Free Agency and the Draft certainly have anyone who deals reasonably with the league on the piece of paper. But in addition, fans and observers should keep an eye on a number of other dates so as not to miss an important development in the NFL.
We show you here what is on the program until the new season and what data you should already paint red in the calendar.
The big offseason timetable of the NFL
Franchise day
The first trend -setting period in every offseason begins this year on February 18 and ends on March 4th at 10 p.m. CET. During this period, teams can prove one of their unresested free agents, i.e. a player whose contract expires this year, with the franchise day – or the transition day – and thus keep it away from the market.
In addition, negotiations on long -term extension are then possible, but the player can then no longer switch to another team without obstacles. This cut -off date is trend -setting because it exacerbates a clearer picture of which players will ultimately really be available in the Free Agency.
NFL Scouting Combine
From the February 24th to March 3rd all eyes of the scouts and front office managers are aimed at Indianapolis. The annual scouting combine takes place there in the Lucas Oil Stadium. Loaded college talents who have reported for the draft can demonstrate their skills here, undergo basic medical tests and measurements and will come into interviews, above all, with team managers and coaches.
In particular, the interviews are an important part of the Draft process, after all, the wheat is usually separated from the wheat among the top talents.
Start of the Free Agency
It gets really hot in the NFL offseason in mid-March when nails are made with heads in the Free Agency. From the March 10th at 5 p.m. CET Teams may take negotiations with the agents of the Free Agents, i.e. the contractual player, and exchange ideas.
The so-called “Legal Tamppering Period” usually leads to almost more secure agreements between the two sides, even if nothing can be made official until the start of the new league year.
The said start of the league year is then on March 12th at 9 p.m. CET. From the time, contracts can be officially made and trades that are negotiated throughout the offseason can be officially made. From that time on, every team must also be under the Salary Cap that is still to be determined for the 2025 season.
sport.de Will offer a daily live ticker for all developments in Free Agency throughout the week and will keep you up to date with news and analyzes about the individual transfers and other developments!
League meeting
Perhaps not quite as spectacular at first glance, but from March 30th to April 2, the annual League meeting of the team owners, front office staff and coaches takes place in Palm Beach/Florida. Not only organizational matters are discussed and decided here, here the standard committee also comes together and advises on any changes to the rules.
Electronically down-and-distance measurement should be on the agenda as well as the expansion of the Replay Assist, such as Phantom Facemask penalties and the like. You will also see whether the kick-off format that has been in force since 2024.
Ultimately, the owners decide whether any innovations are decided or not, but there is always the possibility in Florida.
Offseason workouts
The not necessarily universally beloved offseason workouts begin in April. Already from April 7th The teams who have hired a new head coach may begin with their training programs. Teams that go into the new season with their previous head coaches only catch on April 21 with their training sessions.
Restricted Free Agents
Players who are not more than three years in the league and whose contracts expire – which are mostly earlier andrafted free agents – have until April 18th Time to sign an offered heet from another team. On April 23rd Again, the last day on which a team that has an RFA can exercise its “right of first refusal” and can draw it on an offer heet.
On June 1st, in turn, the last day on which teams will offer their RFAS a so -called tender. This is a standardized one -year contract that prevents the player from getting on the open market.
NFL Draft 2025
For many, this is certainly the highlight of every offseason – the NFL draft! This year the NFL will go to Green Bay/Wisconsin, where the legendary Lambeau Field Field will find out the countless college athletes where they will start their NFL careers.
As always, the draft goes from three days from 24th to April 26th. It starts after German time from 2 a.m. on April 25th, round 2 and 3 climb on April 26th at 1 a.m. and the other four rounds are then scheduled for April 26 from 6 p.m. CEST.
The NFL draft is the highlight of the offseason
Fifth-year options
At the latest on May 1st If you look far ahead in the NFL and decide the near future of its previous first round picks. Strictly speaking, this year is about the penalty class of 2022. Delivery picks have an automatic club option for a fifth year of contract installed and on this date the teams have to decide whether they will pull them with the corresponding players.
This year, the focus is on players such as Sauce Gardner (Jets), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions) or Trent McDuffie from the chiefs who are considered safe candidates for pulling this option.
Spring League Meeting
On May 20 and 21 May is another League meeting, this time in Minneapolis/Minnesota. The usual topics are once again the order of the day. There is also a funding program for coaches.
Here too, possible decisions about changes in the game operation or the rules are conceivable.
Franchise-Tag extension Deadline
The July 15th Expected, because on this day at 10 p.m. CEST, the period in which teams and players that the Franchise Day have received ends to negotiate a long -term contract. Anyone who has not signed one by then can no longer sign a contract for several years before the upcoming Offseason.
Training Camp
There are still no exact dates here because they vary from team to team, but from “mid -July” the teams ask for training camp. First the rookies start to the training camp, then the other players seven days later. From then on, preparation for the new season begins.
The Preseason is then traditionally opened with the Hall of Fame Game in the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton/Ohio. The game, whose participants are still open, will increase on July 31 (August 1, 2 a.m. CEST). A week later, the official game operations for Preseason 2025 starts.
Season 2025
The offseason is officially over with the start of the 2025 NFL season. The Season Opener is scheduled for September 4th. The host will be the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. The opponent is still open.
A regular look at Sport.de is worthwhile across the entire offseason. Here you will find all the important news, background stories and everything else about the NFL.