When Can NFL Teams Start Trading Players?

It’s that time of year again! The NFL offseason is in full swing and teams are already making moves. One of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is when can NFL teams start trading players?

Introduction

The NFL trade deadline is usually in the middle of October, but this year it has been pushed back to November 3rd due to the coronavirus pandemic. This means that teams have an extra month to make trades, but it also means that they have less time to evaluate their rosters and make decisions about who they want to keep and who they want to trade away.

In the past, some NFL teams have made big trades right before the deadline in order to boost their roster for a playoff push. Other teams have used the trade deadline as a way to get rid of players who they no longer want or need. And still other teams have chosen to stand pat and make no trades at all.

So, what will happen this year? It’s tough to say. With the pandemic complicating things, it’s possible that we could see fewer trades than usual. Or, we could see a flurry of activity as teams try to take advantage of the extra time they have to make deals. Only time will tell.

Trades in the NFL

After the NFL Draft has completed and all 32 NFL rosters have been filled with rookies, vets, and free agents, some NFL teams will already start looking ahead to next year. Trades are not common in the NFL, but they do happen from time to time. So, when can NFL teams start trading players?

What is the NFL trade deadline?

The NFL trade deadline is the day on which NFL teams must finalize all trades involving players. After this date, no trades involving players can be made for the rest of the season. The NFL trade deadline usually falls on the Tuesday after Week 8 of the NFL regular season.

How do NFL trades work?

During the NFL’s offseason, trades can occur at any time, but most trades are completed around the NFL Draft in late April. At that time, teams are preparing for the upcoming season and they have a better idea of which players will fit into their plans and which ones they can afford to part with.

Players can be traded for other players, for draft picks or for cash. When a player is traded for another player, the two teams simply exchange the players and their contracts. When a player is traded for draft picks, the team receiving the draft picks simply selects that player in the next year’s NFL Draft.

If a team wants to trade a player but no other team is interested in that player, the team can opt to trade the player for cash. The amount of cash involved in these trades is typically not disclosed, but it is typically not very much.

NFL teams can also trade future draft picks. For example, if a team wants to trade a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for a current starting quarterback, they can do so as long as both teams agree to the trade. These types of trades are less common than ones involving current players or future picks because it can be difficult to predict how well a future draft pick will perform.

What are the benefits of trading players in the NFL?

Trading players in the NFL can be a complicated process, but there are several benefits that teams can take advantage of by making trades. One of the most obvious benefits is the ability to improve your team by acquiring players that better fit your system or fill a need on your roster.

Another benefit of trading players is the ability to free up salary cap space. If a team is close to the salary cap and needs to create some space, they can trade away players with high salaries for players with lower salaries. This can be helpful in both the short and long term as it gives the team more flexibility to sign free agents or extend the contracts of other players on the roster.

Finally, trading players can also be used as a way to rebuild a team. If a team is struggling and wants to start fresh, they can trade away some of their best players for young talent or draft picks. This can help them rebuilding their roster quickly and help them become competitive again in a shorter amount of time.

When can NFL teams start trading players?

NFL teams are allowed to start trading players on March 16th, but trades cannot be made official until the start of the new league year on March 18th. This is when the free agency period begins and teams can begin to sign free agents.

Pre-season

NFL teams can start trading players prior to the start of the regular season. Typically, most trades happen during training camp and the preseason, as that is when rosters are the most fluid and teams are still trying to solidify their depth charts. However, trades can happen at any time during the season, though they are less common once the season starts.

During the season

NFL teams can start trading players during the season on Tuesdays, 10 days after the conclusion of the regular season. Prior to that, teams can only trade players if they acquired them via trade during the off-season.

After the season

Trading is a huge part of the NFL offseason, as teams look to fill needs and get rid of players they no longer want or need.

The NFL trade deadline is October 29th at 4:00 p.m. ET, but that doesn’t mean that all trades have to happen then. In fact, most trades don’t happen on or immediately before the deadline, because it takes time for teams to negotiate and agree on compensation.

However, there are some trades that do happen right at the deadline. These are usually desperation deals, in which a team is trying to unload a player for whatever they can get.

Teams can also trade players during the season, but it’s much less common. In-season trades usually happen because of injuries or because a team is trying to dump a salary.

Conclusion

Now that you know the answer to the question “when can NFL teams start trading players?”, you can make sure that you are prepared for any moves that your team may make during the offseason. Keep in mind that this date is subject to change, so be sure to check back often for updates.