Important Dates For the 2022 NFL Offseason

Welcome to All Bucs' handy-dandy guide to all of the league's happenings over the next few months.

Photo credit: John A. Babiak/@Photog_JohnB

Just because the regular season is over for 88% of the league doesn't mean it's time to relax and take a break.

The NFL never stops. It's a year-round sport that has key dates sprinkled throughout the calendar and it can be hard to keep up with them. 

So, All Bucs thought we would put all of 2022's important offseason dates in one nice, neat, organized, post so you and everyone you know and love can keep track of all of the league's happenings this year.

---

January

January 28-29: HBCU Combine, University of South Alabama: Mobile, Alabama.

January 29: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California.

February 

February 3: East-West Shrine Bowl, Allegiant Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada.

February 5: Senior Bowl, Hancock Whitney Stadium: Mobile, Alabama.

February 6: NFL Pro Bowl, Allegiant Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada.

February 8: 2021 CFL player contracts expire at 12:00 p.m., New York time. Beginning at 12:01 p.m. ET, NFL clubs may no longer try out, negotiate with, and/or sign CFL players with 2022 contracts.

February 13: Super Bowl LVI, SoFi Stadium: Inglewood, California.

February 19: HBCU Legacy Bowl, Yulman Stadium: New Orleans, Louisiana.

February 22: First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition players.

March

March 1-7: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium: Indianapolis, Indiana.

March 8: Clubs must designate Franchise or Transition players by 4:00 p.m. ET.

March 14-16: Clubs can contact and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2021 player contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET, on March 16.

March 16: The 2022 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2022 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m. ET. Trading period for 2022 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2021 contracts.

The first day of the 2022 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m. ET, on March 16. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that includes all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m. ET, and 11:59:59 p.m. ET, on March 16.

March 16: Prior to 4:00 p.m. ET, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

Prior to 4:00 p.m. ET, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2021 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.

Trading period for 2022 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2021 contracts.

March 27-30: Annual League Meeting: Palm Beach, Florida.

April

April 4: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2021 season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 18: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 22: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.

April 28-30: 2022 NFL Draft: Las Vegas, Nevada

May

May 2: Deadline for prior club to send "May 2 Tender" to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m. ET, only with his prior club.

May 2: Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

May 6-9 or May 13-16: Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft.

May 16: Rookie Football Development Programs begin.

May 19-22 (Tentative): NFLPA Rookie Premiere, TBD. Invited rookies (typically, first- and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.

May 23-25: Spring League Meeting.

June

June 1: Deadline for prior club to send "June 1 Tender" to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA's "June 15 Tender" provision.

June 15: Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting "June 15 Tender" of one-year contract at 110% of the player's prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

Late June: Rookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs.

---

This will help keep everyone up-to-date until the NFL announces its training camp schedule. If your team isn't playing this weekend, then best of luck during the offseason!

Stay tuned to AllBucs for further coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and other NFL news and analysis. Follow along on social media at @SIBuccaneers on Twitter and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.