Feb. 4: Super Bowl LII, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis.
Feb. 5: Waiver system begins for 2018.
Feb. 13: Beginning at 9 a.m. PT, NFL clubs may begin to sign players whose 2017 CFL contracts have expired.
Feb. 20: First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
Feb. 27-March 5: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. See the schedule breakdown.
March 6: Prior to 1 p.m. PT, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 12-14: Clubs are permitted to negotiate with agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 1 p.m. PT on March 14.
March 14: Prior to 1 p.m., clubs must exercise options for 2018 on all players who have option clauses in their 2017 contracts. … Clubs must submit qualifying offers to Restricted Free Agents. … Clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive-rights free agents. … Top 51 begins. All clubs must be under the 2018 salary cap prior to 1 p.m. … All 2017 player contracts will expire at 1 p.m. … The 2018 league year and free agency period begin at 1 p.m. … Trading period begins.
March 25-28: Annual League Meeting, Orlando, Fla.
April 2: Clubs with new coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 16: Clubs with returning coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 20: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.
April 26-28: NFL Draft, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
May 4-7: Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp.
May 8: Deadline for prior club to send “May 8 Tender” to unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed with a club by July 23 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign only with his prior club until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the season.
May 11-14: Clubs may elect to hold their three-day rookie minicamp from Friday.
May 14: Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 17-20: 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 21-23: Spring League Meeting, Atlanta.
June 1: Deadline for club to send “June 1 Tender” to unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received qualifying offers 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 2019 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.
Late June: Rookie Transition Program to be held at individual clubs. Attendance is mandatory for all rookies.
July 16: At 1 p.m., deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2018 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July: Clubs are permitted to open training camp for rookies and first-year players beginning seven days prior to the club’s earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for Veteran players. Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or “injured players” may report to training camp no earlier than 15 days before the club’s first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.
July 23: Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 8 Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 1 p.m. on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights. … Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 1 p.m. PT on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the season, Prior Club has exclusive negotiating rights.
Aug. 2-5: Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
Aug. 7: Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an accrued season for free agency. … If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2018, and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2019 League Year.
Sept. 1: Cutdown to 53 players by 1 p.m.
Sept. 2: Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 9 a.m.
Sept. 5: At 9 p.m., the Top 51 Rule expires for all NFL clubs.
Sept. 6, 9-10: Season opens.
Oct. 14: Seahawks play Raiders in London.
Oct. 16-17: League meeting, New York
Oct. 22: PUP/NFI players may begin practicing, eligible to be activated for three weeks after they return to practice. IR-return players may also begin practicing, eligible to return in Week 8.
Oct. 30: Trade deadline, 1 p.m.
Dec. 12: League meeting, Dallas
Dec. 31: Fifth-year option window opens for 2016 first-rounders. Deadline is May 3.