While the 2023 season is over, NFL free agency is about to heat up. With the spending spree of 2024 set to begin in March, get everything you need to know about one of the most popular periods during the NFL offseason.
When does NFL free agency start?
NFL free agency is unique in that while there is a set day and time when players can officially put pen to paper, free agents can begin talking to teams before then. That is something we will get to shortly, but the actual start date for free agency in 2024 is March 13.
NFL free agency date
The non-tampering start date for NFL free agency in 2024 is on March 13, at 4 PM ET.
When does NFL free agency tampering start?
As mentioned above, players and interested organizations can begin talking contracts before officially signing pacts on March 13 at 4 PM ET. However, what is known in NFL circles as the legal tampering period actually begins two days before on March 11 at noon ET.
Related: NFL free agency tracker 2024
What is free agency in NFL?
Free agency is one of the most popular times of the year for fans of all the major sports. While NFL free agency has some differences from the same practice in MLB, NBA, and NHL they are all similar in it being the time when players no longer signed to contracts can test their value around the league in the hopes of landing a pay raise with a preferred organization.
Also during this period, franchises can make trades and move draft picks ahead of April’s NFL Draft.
How does free agency work in NFL?
Free agency is one of the times when players have the leverage over the billion-dollar franchises. A player without an NFL contract can have meetings with whatever organizations they want and play them against each other to get the sort of contract they want.
While money is key in every deal, sometimes perks unique in a contract can be what makes a player choose one team over another. After a choice is made, the player’s agent and the organization negotiate the terms of the contract, the athlete signs the deal, and becomes an official member of that roster for a varying amount of years.
When did free agency start in the NFL?
While the idea of free agency existed in the league since 1947, the first player to have a contract with one team and choose to sign a new pact with a different one was R.C. Owens in 1962. After finishing out his option year with the New England Patriots in 1961, he took his talents to the Baltimore Colts for the ’62 NFL season.
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How long is NFL free agency?
In 2024, NFL free agency will kick off on March 13, last through the entire regular season, and into the 2025 NFL playoffs. Athletes are not allowed to sign with a new team after the Super Bowl and up to before the start of free agency for the following league year.
When is the deadline for NFL free agency?
The deadline for free agency ends right before the start of that year’s Super Bowl. This means that NFL free agency for the 2024 season ends on Saturday, February 8, 2025.
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