When does NFL free agency start in 2024?
- Legal tampering period: March 11-13
- Start of NFL free agency: 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 13
The NFL's new league year will start at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13. As per usual, free agency will begin at the same time.
But teams "are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents" during the two-day period ahead of free agency,
per the NFL. The so-called "legal tampering window" will open at noon ET Monday, March 11.
Teams must choose before the start of free agency whether to use their franchise tag. The tag period runs through 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, March 5. A player must be tagged — or agree to a contract extension — before then to avoid becoming a free agent.
Other notable happenings that will occur on March 13:
- At 4 p.m. ET, all 2023 player contracts expire.
- Prior to 4 p.m. ET, teams must be under the 2024 salary cap of $250 million (top-51 rule begins).
- Prior to 4 p.m. ET, teams must exercise options for 2024 on all players who have option clauses in their 2023 contracts.
- Prior to 4 p.m. ET, teams must submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents with expiring contracts in order to retain a right of first refusal/compensation.
- Prior to 4 p.m. ET, teams must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2024 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
- The first day of the 2024 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on March 13. Teams receive a personnel notice that includes all transactions submitted to the league after 4 p.m. ET that day.
NFL's free-agent period for 2024 is set to start in short order. Here's what to know, including the latest news, rumors and updates about available players.
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