When Can NFL Free Agents Sign With a New Team?

The NFL free agency period is a time when teams can sign new players to contracts. However, there are some rules and regulations that dictate when free agents can actually sign with a new team. Here’s a look at when NFL free agents can sign with a new team.

Introduction

The NFL free agency period begins on the first day of the league’s calendar year, which is March 11th. At that point, teams can begin to sign unrestricted free agents, who have completed four or more accrued seasons and are not under contract with their previous team. Restricted free agents are players with three accrued seasons who have received a “qualifying” offer from their team, which gives that team the right to match any offer the player may receive from another team. If the player signs an offer sheet with another team, and his current team does not match it, he will become a free agent of that team. Unrestricted free agents can sign with any team beginning on March 11th.

What is an NFL Free Agent?

In the National Football League (NFL), a free agent is a player who is not under contract with any team. An unrestricted free agent (UFA) is free to sign with any club, while a restricted free agent (RFA) is subject to a right of first refusal process whereby his current club has a chance to match any offers made by other teams. If the club chooses not to match an offer, it may receive draft-choice compensation, depending on the amount of the offer.

Who is Considered an NFL Free Agent?

In order to become an unrestricted free agent in the NFL, a player must have completed four accumulated seasons in which their contracts have expired. If a player is released by their team before they have completed four seasons, they become a restricted free agent and are subject to different rules.

Players who have been designated as franchise or transition players are also not considered unrestricted free agents. A franchise player is defined as a player who is among the top few at their position and is given a one-year contract worth the average of the top-five salaries at their position. A transition player is similar but is given a two-year contract worth the average of the top-10 salaries at their position.

Once a player becomes an unrestricted free agent, they are free to sign with any team that they choose. They are also able to negotiate their own contracts without any restrictions from their former team.

What is the NFL Free Agent Process?

Any player who is not under contract for the upcoming season is considered a free agent. Free agency begins on March 13, when teams are allowed to begin negotiating with free agents. On March 17, free agents are free to sign with any team.

Players can become free agents in one of two ways: by being released by their team, or by completing their contract and becoming an unrestricted free agent. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team, while restricted free agents can only sign with their current team or another team that makes them an offer that their current team chooses not to match.

Once a player signs a contract with a new team, they are no longer a free agent and are bound by the terms of that contract.

When Can NFL Free Agents Sign With a New Team?

After the NFL Scouting Combine and before the start of the new league year, NFL free agents can negotiate with teams. The new league year begins on March 13, 2019, so free agents can begin signing with new teams on that date.

The NFL Free Agent Signing Period

The NFL free agent signing period is the time when NFL free agents can sign with a new team. The signing period begins on March 11th and runs through July 22nd. Free agents can sign with their new team at any time during this period.

Restricted Free Agents

RFAs have three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If they receive a qualifying offer (a one-year tender at the player’s salary in the prior year) from their former team, they can sign with another team, but their former team has the right to match the offer and keep the player. If the former team declines to match, it may receive draft-pick compensation.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Unrestricted free agents are players who have completed four or more accrued seasons (six or more seasons if prior to 2010) and their contracts have expired. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team, with no draft-choice compensation owed to their former team.

Conclusion

Players can sign with new teams beginning at 4 p.m. ET on March 17.