2022 NFL Important Dates

The NFL 2022 calendar is highlighted by the start of the new league year March 16 and the draft April 28-30

2022 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IMPORTANT DATES

– DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE –

MARCH

March 1-7 — NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium: Indianapolis, Indiana.

March 8 — Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 14-16 — Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2021 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 16. ... Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2022 on all players who have option clauses in their 2021 contracts.

March 16 — Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

March 16 — Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2021 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.

March 16 — Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2022 Salary Cap prior to 4 p.m., New York time. 

March 16 — All 2021 player contracts will expire at 4 p.m., New York time.

March 16 — The 2022 league year and free agency period begin at 4 p.m., New York time.

March 16 — The first day of the 2022 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16.

March 16 — Trading period for 2022 begins at 4 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2021 contracts.

Late March — International Player Pathway Pro Day (TBD)

March 27-30 — Annual League Meeting: Palm Beach, Florida.

APRIL

April 4 — Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2021 season may begin offseason workout programs. That would include the Miami Dolphins.

April 18 — Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 22 — Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.

April 28-30 — 2022 NFL Draft: Las Vegas, Nevada.

MAY

May 2 — Deadline for prior club to send “May 2 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.

May 2 — Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

May 6-9 or May 13-16 — Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.

May 16 — Rookie Football Development Programs begin.

May 19-22 (Tentative) — NFLPA Rookie Premiere, TBD. 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 23-25 — Spring League Meeting

JUNE

June 1 — Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.

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 (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

Late June — Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.