🏈 When does NFL Free Agency Start? Key Dates & Schedule
When does NFL free agency start? You'll know it's underway when a whole lot of deals are reportedly agreed to during a period when teams can tamper as much as they please.
For years now, there's been a sort of unofficial start to NFL free agency before the league year truly begins. Let's take a look at the dates that matter most during the buildup to the frenzy, a time when the Super Bowl odds can begin to shift.
📅 When does NFL free agency start?
Excitement is beginning to build for the NFL draft, with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza easily sitting atop the NFL draft odds to be selected first overall. That's a little later in the NFL schedule and key dates for the 2026-27 season though.
The free-agency feast comes first, and here are the important dates to know:
- March 9: The legal tampering period for upcoming unrestricted free agents begins at noon ET, which is when they can enter into contract negotiations with potential new teams
- March 11: The new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET, which is when all contracts and transactions can be finalized
You'll begin to hear that a player has reportedly agreed with a club during the legal tampering period. But both those contracts and any trades can't become official until the new league year begins.
It doesn't happen often, but it's possible for either a player or the team to nix a reported deal during the tampering period and before the agreement is official.
🏈 Who are the top NFL free agents?
The franchise-tag window opened on Feb. 17, and it runs until March 3 at 4 p.m. ET. Players under an exclusive franchise tag are taken off the market, and their teams offer them a one-year contract in line with the average of the top five at their position.
That's one caveat as we look at the list below, and the Atlanta Falcons have already tagged tight end Kyle Pitts, with the New York Jets doing the same with running back Breece Hall. The other is that while it's unlikely this close to the market opening, players could still agree to contract extensions.
With all that in mind, here are some of top free agents this offseason.
| Player | Position | Current team | 2025 salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Malik Willis | Quarterback | Green Bay Packers | $1.4 million |
| 2. George Pickens | Wide receiver | Dallas Cowboys | $3.7 million |
| 3. Tyler Linderbaum | Center | Baltimore Ravens | $2.5 million |
| 4. Jaelan Phillips | Outside linebacker | Philadelphia Eagles | $1.5 million |
| 5. Daniel Jones | Quarterback | Indianapolis Colts | $14.6 million |
| 6. Trey Hendrickson | Defensive end | Cincinnati Bengals | $29 million |
| 7. Odafe Oweh | Outside linebacker | Los Angeles Chargers | $9.6 million |
| 8. Rashid Shaheed | Wide receiver | Seattle Seahawks | $2.1 million |
| 9. Kenneth Walker | Running back | Seattle Seahawks | $1.9 million |
| 10. Mike Evans | Wide receiver | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | $21 million |
🔢 How much salary cap space do NFL teams have right now?
This list can vary too a little during the buildup to free agency, but the cap space leaguewide is mostly set.
| Team | Cap Space |
|---|---|
| 1. Tennessee Titans | $98,935,462 |
| 2. Las Vegas Raiders | $87,913,212 |
| 3. Los Angeles Chargers | $87,090,325 |
| 4. New York Jets | $77,770,889 |
| 5. Washington Commanders | $67,800,355 |
| 6. Seattle Seahawks | $63,241,971 |
| 7. Cincinnati Bengals | $52,280,496 |
| 8. Pittsburgh Steelers | $44,768,173 |
| 9. Los Angeles Rams | $44,390,412 |
| 10. New England Patriots | $37,435,699 |
| 11. Indianapolis Colts | $34,902,488 |
| 12. Arizona Cardinals | $32,813,790 |
| 13. Denver Broncos | $27,983,090 |
| 14. San Francisco 49ers | $25,033,708 |
| 15. Baltimore Ravens | $22,673,001 |
| 16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | $13,479,885 |
| 17. Atlanta Falcons | $10,174,296 |
| 18. Carolina Panthers | $9,875,093 |
| 19. New York Giants | $7,773,627 |
| 20. Philadelphia Eagles | $2,655,936 |
| 21. Miami Dolphins | -$3,808,376 |
| 22. Green Bay Packers | -$4,344,831 |
| 23. Buffalo Bills | -$4,795,073 |
| 24. Kansas City Chiefs | -$6,348,869 |
| 25. Houston Texans | -$8,407,142 |
| 26. Detroit Lions | -$9,151,960 |
| 27. Chicago Bears | -$9,503,349 |
| 28. Jacksonville Jaguars | -$14,120,728 |
| 29. Cleveland Browns | -$19,541,898 |
| 30. Dallas Cowboys | -$26,775,723 |
| 31. New Orleans Saints | -$41,774,364 |
| 32. Minnesota Vikings | -$42,103,590 |
❓2026 NFL free agency FAQs
When is the NFL franchise tag deadline?
The deadline to tag players this year is March 3.
When does the NFL's legal tampering period open?
The league's legal-tampering period begins on March 9 at noon ET.
When does NFL free agency begin?
Free agency begins on the first official day of the new league year, which is March 11 at 4 p.m. ET. That's when all new contracts and trades can be finalized.
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