Assuming the players ratify the new CBA that was just approved by NFL owners, the league is prepared to transition out of the lockout under a set schedule. You can check it out after the jump (via a league press release), and below are a few important dates to mark on your calendar.
- Saturday, July 23 - Voluntary training/conditioning begins
- Saturday, July 23 - Teams can start signing their draft picks and free agents
- Saturday, July 23 - At 2 p.m. (ET), teams can begin negotiating with undrafted free agents, regular free agents and other teams' free agents
- Sunday, July 24 - At 2 p.m., teams can start signing UDFAs
- Wednesday, July 27 - The new league year begins at 2 p.m., which is when free agency and the trading period also begin
- Wednesday, July 27 - Rosters expand to 90 players and training camp opens for all teams
Again, you can check out the full schedule after the jump.
JULY
July 23 Voluntary training, conditioning and classroom instruction permitted until first day of clubs’ preseason training camps.
July 23 Pre-2011 League Year Period commences. 2011 Free Agency List to be issued and will become effective on the first day of the 2011 League Year (July 27). Clubs/players may begin to renegotiate contracts. Clubs may begin to sign Drafted Rookies and their own UFAs, RFAs, Exclusive Rights Players and Franchise Players.
July 23 Waivers begin for the 2011 League Year.
July 23 Starting at 2:00 PM ET, clubs may negotiate with, but not sign, Undrafted Rookie Free Agents, free agents, and other clubs’ UFAs, RFAs, and Franchise Players.
July 24 Starting at 2:00 PM ET, clubs may begin to sign undrafted rookie free agents.
July 27 2011 League Year commences at 2:00 PM ET, provided NFLPA has ratified CBA. Free Agency Signing Period begins. Clubs may sign free agents and other clubs’ Unrestricted Free Agents. Clubs may sign Offer Sheets. Trading period begins. All Clubs must be under the Salary Cap. Top 51 rule applies.
July 27 Expand rosters to 90-man limit.
July 27 Training Camps open for all clubs, provided NFLPA has ratified CBA. Day One activities limited to physicals, meetings, and conditioning. No pads permitted on Day Two or Day Three.
AUGUST
August 9 Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an Accrued Season for free agency.
August 11-15 First Preseason Weekend
August 12 Deadline for signing of Offer Sheets by Restricted Free Agents. (17-day period concludes)
August 12 Deadline for June 1 Tender to Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a Player Contract with a Club by August 26, he may negotiate or sign a Player Contract from August 26 until the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season, at 4:00 PM ET, only with his Prior Club.
August 12 Deadline: if a Drafted Rookie has not signed a Player Contract by this date, he cannot be traded during his initial League Year and may sign a Player Contract only with the drafting Club until the day of the Draft in the next League Year.
August 13-17 Each Club has until five days prior to its second preseason game to provide any tendered but unsigned Exclusive Rights Player or Restricted Free Agent with written notice of the Club’s intent to place the player on the Exempt List if the player fails to report at least the day before the Club’s second preseason game.
August 16 Deadline for Prior Club to exercise Right of First Refusal to Restricted Free Agents. (Four-day matching period conlcudes)
August 17 Deadline for June 1 Tender to Restricted Free Agents who have received a Qualifying Offer for a Right of First Refusal Only.
August 18-22 Second Preseason Weekend.
August 25-28 Third Preseason Weekend.
August 26 Signing Period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents who received the June 1 Tender.
August 29 Deadline for June 15 Tender to Restricted Free Agents. If player’s Qualifying Offer is greater than 110% of the player’s prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior year contract carried forward unchanged), the Club may withdraw the Qualifying Offer on August 29 and retain its exclusive negotiating rights to the player, so long as the Club immediately tenders the player a one-year Player Contract of at least 110% of his prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary, with all the terms of his prior year’s contract carried forward unchanged.
August 30 Clubs reduce rosters from 90 players to 75 players.
SEPTEMBER
September 1-2 Fourth Preseason Weekend.
September 3 Clubs reduce rosters to 53 players.
September 8-12 First Regular-Season Weekend.
September 18-19 Second Regular-Season Weekend
September 20 Deadline at 4:00 PM ET for any Club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multi-year contract or extension.