The NFL announced key dates for the upcoming season and offseason.
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The NFL announced important dates on the calendar for 2026-2027, including a few notable changes.
Among the differences from the schedule in recent years is a change to the timing for teams to reduce rosters to 53 players. This year, the deadline to reduce the roster from 90 to 53 players is 3 p.m. PT on Sunday, August 30, which is two days after the Seahawks’ preseason finale in Kansas City. In recent years, the deadline has been on the Tuesday following the third preseason weekend.
The NFL regular season, of course, kicks off on Wednesday, September 9 with the defending champion Seahawks hosting the Patriots at Lumen Field.
The trade deadline for the 2026 season is November 10 at 1 p.m., which is the Tuesday following Week 9 of the season.
The NFL postseason begins with Wild Card weekend, January 16-18, and culminates with Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles on February 14, which is the Sunday of President’s Day Weekend.
The NFL Scouting Combine takes place March 1-8 in Indianapolis, and in a change from the past, free agency will begin almost immediately after the combine, with the negotiation period beginning at 9 a.m. PT on Monday, March 9, and the new league year starting at 1 p.m. on March 11. In past years, there has been a week between the combine and the start of free agency.
The NFL Annual League Meeting will take place from March 21-24 in Phoenix. Then, one of the biggest events of the offseason, the NFL Draft, will take place will begin on Thursday, April 29 in Washington D.C.
At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multi-year contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2026 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players.
Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed an NFL player contract with any club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies.
The earliest mandatory reporting date for veteran players (as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 5) are:
At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
At 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2026 and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2027 League Year.
Prior to 6:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.
Simultaneously with the roster reduction to 53 players, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; terminate or request waivers with the designation of Failed Physical or Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.
Clubs are permitted to designate for return a maximum of two players who are placed on an applicable Reserve List during the business day of the final roster reduction. Any such player will immediately count against the club’s number of designations, even if the player does not subsequently return to practice.
Players who are on the Reserve List or Exempt List and are not counting against the 90-player limit will begin to count against the 90-player limit.
Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 1:00 p.m., New York time.
Upon receipt of the subsequent Personnel Notice, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 17 players, as long as one player qualifies and is designated as an International Player. No club, including the player’s prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player’s prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.
Beginning at 4:00 p.m., New York time, any player placed on Reserve/Injured, Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, or Practice Squad; Injured during the regular season or postseason, may be designated for return later in the season, subject to the applicable procedures.
Final day of preseason training camp for all clubs, as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 10.
In accordance with the Personnel (Injury) Report Policy, each club is required to file a Practice Report by 4:00 p.m., New York time, (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a regular season Monday game; Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday for a Wednesday game; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a Thursday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Friday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Saturday game; and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for a Sunday game. On days that a team practices, an estimated injury report for practice status is not acceptable, regardless of what time practice is held.
Each club must also file a weekly regular season Game Status Report by 4:00 p.m., New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) on Saturday for a Monday game; Tuesday for a Wednesday game; Wednesday for a Thursday game, Thursday for a Friday game, Thursday for a Saturday game, and Friday for a Sunday game. An update must be reported if there is any change in a player’s condition after the initial Game Status Report is filed.
Source: www.seahawks.com