When Does NFL Free Agency Start? The Dates You Need to Know

Now that the dust is starting to settle from the 2025 NFL season following the conclusion of Super Bowl LX, it's time to look ahead to the offseason.

Every year, all 32 teams get the opportunity to improve their rosters in free agency, signing veteran players who have expiring contracts with other teams to new deals.

When does that ball get rolling? When can teams negotiate and sign new deals? What about the franchise tag?

Here's everything you need to know about the start of NFL free agency in 2026:

When Does the 2026 NFL 'League Year' Officially Begin?

The 2026 NFL league year officially starts on Wednesday, March 11, at 4 p.m. ET. At that time, players and teams will be allowed to sign contracts and make trades official.

What's the 'Legal Tampering' Period?

Beginning at noon ET on Monday, March 9, teams may begin contract negotiations with pending free agents and are allowed to agree to terms on potential deals. However, no deal can be finalized until the league year officially begins.

During this period, there is typically a flurry of news reports and rumors regarding forthcoming deals with some of the biggest-name free agents on the market, but nothing can be made official until the league year begins. There's always the possibility that a deal that has previously been agreed to or reported falls through, and the player signs elsewhere once the league year officially starts.

What About the Franchise Tag?

NFL teams are allowed to place franchise/transition tags on players beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The deadline to place one of these tags on a player is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 3.

These tags extend a one-year tender offer to the player, but a long-term contract can still be negotiated/signed up until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 15th. If no long-term deal is signed, the player can only sign a one-year deal for the 2026 season.