CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – With Super Bowl LVII in the rearview mirror, the focus now shifts to the offseason around the NFL.
Here are some important dates that impact league business for the 2023 offseason.
February 21: Window opens for teams to designate transition or franchise players. The Browns are not expected to tag anyone this year.
February 28-March 6: NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 7: Deadline to designate franchise or transition players by 4 p.m. eastern.
March 7: Draft-eligible facility visits begin. Clubs are permitted 30 non-local players for physical exams/visits but no on-field workouts. Video or telephone interviews with draft-eligible players begin. Three video or telephone interviews are allowed per player and no longer than one hour in length.
March 13: Free agency negotiating period begins at noon eastern where clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 15 at 4 p.m. eastern. Members of a club’s front office excluding the head coach or coaching staff may also contact and enter into negotiations with players who are not represented by an agent but scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
March 15: Prior to 4:00 p.m. eastern, clubs must exercise options for 2023 on all players who have option clauses in their 2022 contracts and clubs must submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents with expiring contracts to retain a right of first refusal/compensation. Clubs must also be under the 2023 salary cap prior to 4 p.m. eastern. New league year begins at 4 p.m. eastern when the trading window re-opens and contracts with unrestricted free agents may be executed. Clubs may designate up to two player contracts that, if terminated on or prior to June 1, 2023, and if not renegotiated after January 9, 2023, shall be treated as if terminated on June 2, subject to the further requirements of the collective bargaining agreement.
March 26-29: Annual spring league meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
March 30: Deadline for clubs to meet 2023 funding requirements for guaranteed or deferred compensation in NFL player contracts and contracts for non-player club employees.
April 3: Clubs that hired a new Head Coach after the end of the 2022 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 17: Clubs with returning Head Coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 19: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.
April 21: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 26: Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.
April 27: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls), or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 27-29: 2023 NFL Draft – Kansas City, Missouri.
May 1: Deadline to teams to exercise the fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Browns are expected to exercise this option for left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., selected 10th overall, worth $14.175 million. It is also the deadline for prior clubs to send “May 1 Tenders” to its unsigned unrestricted free agents. If the player has not signed a 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 contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m. eastern only with his prior club.
May 5-8 or 12-15: Rookie minicamp.
