March 9 – Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2017 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 9 – All 2016 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 9 – The 2017 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.Dec 30, 2016
February 5 --
Super Bowl LI, NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas.
February 6 -- Waiver system begins for 2017.
February 11 -- NFL Regional Combines, Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Seattle, Washington.
February 14 -- Beginning at 12 noon, New York time, NFL clubs may begin to sign players whose 2016 CFL contracts have expired. Players under contract to a CFL club for the 2017 season or who have an option for the 2017 season are not eligible to be signed.
February 15 -- First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 18 -- NFL Regional Combines, Methodist Training Center, Houston, Texas.
February 25-26* -- NFL Regional Combines, Inova Sports Performance Center, Washington, D.C. (*Kicker/Punter Combine)
February 28-March 6 -- NFL
Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 1 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 4 --NFL Regional Combines,
Minnesota Vikings Practice Facility, Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
March 7-9 -- 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 2016 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9.
March 9 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2017 on all players who have option clauses in their 2016 contracts.
March 9 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, 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 9 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2016 contracts and who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
March 9 -- Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2017 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 9 -- All 2016 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 9 -- The 2017 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The first day of the 2017 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9.
March 9 -- Trading period for 2017 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2016 contracts.
March 11 -- NFL Regional Combines,
New Orleans Saints Training Facility, Metairie, Louisiana.
March 26-29 -- Annual League Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 3 -- Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2016 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 17 -- Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 21 -- Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.
April 27-29 -- 2017 NFL Draft, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
May 5-8 -- Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 9 -- Deadline for Prior Club to send "May 9 Tender" to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a Player Contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a Player Contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his Prior Club.
May 12-15 -- Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 15 -- Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 18-21 -- NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited Rookies (typically, first and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.
May 22-24 -- Spring League Meeting, Chicago, Illinois.
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 in order for such player to be subject to the CBA???s "June 15 Tender" provision.
June 2 -- For any player removed from the club's roster or whose contract is assigned via waivers or trade on or after June 2, any unamortized signing bonus amounts for future years will be included fully in Team Salary at the start of the 2018 League Year.
June 15 -- Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting "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 Transition Program to be held at individual clubs. Attendance is mandatory for all rookies.
July 15 -- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, 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 oneyear contract with his prior club for the 2017 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game.
Pro Football Focus
Vincent Bonsignore @DailyNewsVinny
