When Does NFL Free Agency Start in 2021?

Find out the date for when NFL free agency begins in 2021 so you can be ready to make your move.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) free agency period for the 2021 season begins on March 17. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team, while restricted free agents can receive offers from other teams but their current team has the right to match any offer or receive compensation in the form of draft picks if they choose not to match. The deadline for teams to use their franchise or transition tags is March 9.

What is NFL Free Agency?

NFL free agency is when players who are not under contract with any team can sign with any team that they choose. The NFL free agency period typically lasts for a few weeks in March, and it is during this time that many of the biggest offseason moves are made. Some of the biggest names in the league change teams every year, and the landscape of the NFL can look very different after free agency than it did before.

During free agency, each team has a certain amount of money that they can spend on signing players. This is known as the salary cap, and it is one of the main ways that the NFL keeps things fair between teams. The teams with the most money to spend are usually the ones that end up signing the best players, but there are always surprises. Sometimes a team will sign a player to a contract that is much bigger than anyone thought possible, and other times a team will let a player go even though it seemed like they would be able to afford to keep him.

The NFL free agency period usually starts in early March, but the exact date changes from year to year. The start of free agency is one of the most exciting times of the year for NFL fans, as it signals the start of the offseason and gives them hope that their team will be able to improve.

Key Dates in the NFL Free Agency Process

There are several key dates in the NFL free agency process. The first is the start of the legal tampering period, which is when teams are allowed to contact and negotiate with the agents of impending free agents. The second key date is the start of the new league year, when all contracts expire and free agency officially begins. Finally, there is the start of training camp, when teams can begin signing free agents to contracts.

The legal tampering period begins on March 15th and runs until March 17th. During this time, teams are allowed to contact and negotiate with the agents of impending free agents, but no contracts can be signed. The new league year begins on March 18th, at 4:00 PM ET. At this time, all contracts expire and free agency officially begins. Teams can begin signing free agents to contracts at this time. The start of training camp is typically in late July or early August.

How Free Agency Works

In the NFL, a player’s contract expires at the end of the league year. If the player is not under contract, he becomes a free agent. That means he can negotiate with any team in the league. In most cases, free agents sign with the team that offers them the most money.

Restricted Free Agents

A “restricted free agent” is a player who has three accrued NFL seasons and an expired contract. When their contract expires, they are free to sign with any team in the league. However, their original team can place a “tender” on them, which gives them the right to match any offer the player receives from another team. If the player signs an offer sheet with another team, their original team has seven days to match the offer and keep the player. If the original team does not match the offer, the player is free to sign with the new team.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team starting at the beginning of the new league year. For 2021, that date is March 17. Players with expiring contracts become unrestricted free agents if they have completed four or more accrued seasons (a season counts as six or more regular-season games on a team’s active/inactive, reserve/physically unable to perform, or reserve/non-football injury or illness lists).

Teams can sign their own unrestricted free agents without penalty. If an unrestricted free agent signs with a new team, his old team receives no compensation.

Franchise and Transition Players

With the exception of a few rare cases, all NFL players become free agents when their current contracts expire. Each year, hundreds of players hit the open market, with teams looking to fill holes on their rosters and upgrade at specific positions.

The most sought-after free agents are usually young players in the prime of their careers who have yet to sign a long-term deal. These players are known as “unrestricted free agents,” and they can sign with any team that offers them a contract.

Restricted free agents are players with three or four years of NFL experience whose contracts have expired. These players can sign offers with any team, but their original teams have the right to match those offers and keep them on the roster. If the original team declines to match an offer sheet, it can receive draft pick compensation from the signing team.

Transition players are a special case for teams that designate one player each offseason who would have otherwise been an unrestricted free agent. These players are given a one-year contract worth the average of the 10 highest-paid salaries at their position group, plus $100,000. The transition tag can be used in lieu of the franchise tag (see below), but teams that use the transition tag cannot use the franchise tag in that same offseason.

Finally, franchise players are selected each year by teams that wish to keep one of their impending free agents from hitting the open market. There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive rights and non-exclusive rights.
The exclusive rights designation means that only the franchising team can sign the player to a contract; he cannot negotiate with any other team. Players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons are automatically designated as exclusive rights franchise players.
The non-exclusive rights designation allows the player to negotiate with other teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another club, his original team has seven days to match it or let him walk away in exchange for two first-round draft picks.

NFL Free Agency Rumors and Predictions

NFL free agency officially begins on March 17, 2021. That’s the first day that teams can begin negotiations with agents of pending free agents. The 2021 NFL free agency period will run through July 23.

During the 2020 NFL season, many big-name players will be playing on the final year of their contracts. Some will subsequently become free agents in 2021, while others may sign contract extensions with their current teams.

Among the notable players who will be eligible for free agency are:

Quarterbacks: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Alex Smith (Washington), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Dolphins), Tyrod Taylor ( Chargers)

Running backs: Aaron Jones (Packers), Chris Carson (Seahawks), Kenyan Drake (Cardinals), James Conner (Steelers)

wide receivers: A.J. Green (Bengals), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), T.Y Hilton (Colts), Allen Robinson (Bears)

Tight ends: Hunter Henry (Chargers), Jared Cook (Saints), Jonnu Smith (Titans)

Offensive linemen: Trent Williams (49ers),Alex Mack  (Falcons), Corey Linsley (Packers)
 
 
Defensive linemen: J.J. Watt (Texans), Leonard Williams (Giants), Shaq Lawson (Bills)
 
 
Linebackers: Bud Dupree (Steelers), Jayon Brown (Titans)
 
  cornerbacks: Richard Sherman (49ers), Patrick Peterson ( Cardinals) , Jason Verrett (49ers) , Xavier Rhodes ( Colts) , Logan Ryan  

As we inch closer to the start of the new league year, rumors will begin to circulate about where some of these big-name players might end up signing. Check back here for all the latest rumors and predictions for NFL free agency in 2021!

Conclusion

After months of speculation and rumors, the NFL free agency period is finally upon us. Starting on March 18th, teams will be able to officially start signing players to new contracts. While the free agency period technically lasts until the start of the 2021 NFL season in September, most of the major moves will happen in the first couple of weeks.

So if you’re a fan of one of the 32 NFL teams, make sure to keep an eye on your team’s moves during this exciting time!