Dolphins and NFL 2022-23 Key Dates

Breaking down the important dates and events on the NFL calendar for the Miami Dolphins and the other NFL teams

The Miami Dolphins and every other team around the league will have to get down to a maximum of 80 players on their roster by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday as we arrived at another key date on the 2022-23 NFL calendar.

Here's a rundown of the most important dates that have passed and the others coming up for the Dolphins through the 2022 season and part of the 2023 offseason.

July 2022

Friday, July 15 — At 4 p.m. ET, deadline for any Club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player's one-year contract cannot be extended until after the Club’s last regular season game. This applied to Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki, who did not sign an extension.

Tuesday, July 19 — Dolphins rookies reporting for training camp.

Tuesday, July 26 — Dolphins veterans reporting for training camp.

August 2022

Aug. 10-11 — Dolphins joint practices with Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, 10 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 13 — Preseason game, Dolphins at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 16 — Teams must reduce their rosters to a maximum of 85 players on the Active/Inactive List.

Saturday, Aug. 20 — Preseason game, Las Vegas Raiders at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Aug. 23 — Teams must reduce their rosters to a maximum of 80 players on the Active/Inactive List.

Aug. 24-25 — Joint practices, Dolphins with Eagles at Baptist Health Training Complex

Aug. 25-28 — Third Preseason Weekend

Saturday, Aug. 27 — Preseason game, Philadelphia Eagles at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Aug. 30 — Prior to 4 p.m., ET, 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.

Wednesday, Aug. 31 — Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12 p.m., ET.

Upon receipt of the subsequent Personnel Notice, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 16 players, (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) 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 p.m., ET, 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.

September 2022

Sunday, Sept. 4 — Final day of preseason training camp for all clubs, as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 10.

Sept. 5-10 — In accordance with the Personnel (Injury) Report Policy, each club is required to file a Practice Report with the NFL Communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time, (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for a regular season Sunday game; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a Thursday game; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a Monday game; and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Saturday game.

Each club must also file a weekly regular season Game Status Report with the NFL Communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) on Wednesday for a Thursday game, Friday for a Sunday game, Saturday for a Monday game, and Thursday for a Saturday game. An update must be reported if there is any change in a player's condition after the initial Game Status Report is filed.

Thursday, Sept. 8 — At 12 a.m. ET, the Top 51 Rule expires for all NFL Clubs.

Sept. 8, 11-12 — Regular Season Week 1.

Sunday, Sept. 11 — New England at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, Sept. 18 — Dolphins at Baltimore, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, Sept. 25 — Buffalo at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Thursday, Sept. 29 — Dolphins at Cincinnati, 8:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime Video)

Friday, Sept. 30-Oct. 3-4 — Beginning on the day after a club’s fourth regular season game (including any bye week), it is permitted to begin practicing players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform and Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness (if the player failed his preseason physical due to a non-football injury or illness) for a period not to exceed 21 days. Players may be activated during the 21-day practice period, or prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day after the conclusion of the 21-day period.

October 2022

Sunday, Oct. 9 — Dolphins at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, Oct. 16 — Minnesota at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (FOX)

Oct. 18-19 — Fall League Meeting, New York

Sunday, Oct. 23 — Pittsburgh at Dolphins, 8:20 p.m. (NBC) ... The Dolphins will be honoring the 1972 team on the 50-year anniversary of the Perfect Season on this night.

Sunday, Oct. 30 — Dolphins at Detroit, 1 p.m. (CBS)

November

Tuesday, Nov. 1 — All trading ends for 2022 at 4 p.m., New York time.

Wednesday, Nov. 2 — Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons are subject to the waiver system for the remainder of the regular season and postseason.

Sunday, Nov. 6 — Dolphins at Chicago, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Thursday, Nov. 13 — Cleveland at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Tuesday, Nov. 15 — At 4 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Franchise Players who are eligible to receive offer sheets.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unsigned Franchise and Transition Players, including Franchise Players who were eligible to receive offer sheets until this date. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2021.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unrestricted free agents to whom the “UFA Tender” was made. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2021.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for Clubs to sign their restricted free agents, including those to whom the “June 1 Tender” was made. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2022.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their drafted rookies. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2022.

Sunday, Nov. 20 — Dolphins bye week

Sunday, Nov. 27 — Houston at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (CBS)

December 2022

Sunday, Dec. 4 — Dolphins at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, Dec. 11 — Dolphins at L.A. Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

Dec. 13-14 — Special League Meeting, Irving, Texas

Saturday, Dec. 17 or Sunday, Dec. 18 — Dolphins at Buffalo, TBD

Sunday, Dec. 25 — Green Bay at Dolphins, 1 p.m. (FOX)

2023

January 2023

Sunday, Jan. 1 — Dolphins at New England, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Saturday, Jan. 7 — A claiming period of 24 hours shall be in effect for any waivers requested during the period from the Saturday of the final regular season weekend through the conclusion of the final postseason game, except for waiver requests on Friday and Saturday of each week, which shall expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the following Monday.

Assignment of player contracts will be deferred until the first business day after the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl, whichever occurs later.

Terminations of player contracts will occur at the expiration of the claiming period.

A club that is participating in the playoffs may sign players whose contracts have been terminated to its Active/Inactive List, Practice Squad, or Reserve/Future List. A club whose playing season has concluded may sign such players to its Reserve/Future List only.

Saturday, Jan. 7 or Sunday, Jan. 8 — N.Y. Jets at Dolphins, TBD

Monday, Jan. 9 — Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2023 season.

Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the Rookie Contract of a Drafted Rookie who was selected in any round of the 2020 College Draft or any Undrafted Rookie who signed in 2021. Any permissible renegotiated or extended Player Contract will not be considered a Rookie Contract, and will not be subject to the rules that limit Rookie Contracts.

Prior to 4 p.m., ET, clubs must provide the Management Council with written notice, signed by the individual club’s owner, indicating the amount, if any, of the club’s 2022 League Year Salary Cap Room to be credited to the club’s 2023 Team Salary.

Jan. 14-16 — Wild Card Playoff Games.

Monday, Jan. 16 —  Special Eligibility Deadline. Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2023 College Draft will be sent to clubs on January 20.

Jan. 21-22 — Divisional Playoff Games.

Sunday, Jan. 29 — AFC and NFC Championship Games.

February 2023

Sunday, Feb. 5 — Pro Bowl

Sunday, Feb. 12 — Super Bowl LVII, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Tuesday, Feb. 21 — Beginning this date through 4 p.m., New York time on March 7 clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.

Feb. 28-March 6 — NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Ind.

March 2023

Tuesday, March 7 — Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 13-15 — During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 14 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16, clubs are permitted to 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., New York time, on March 15.

During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor is permitted to communicate directly with a new club’s front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club’s coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations.

No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4 p.m., New York time, on March 15.

Wednesday, March 15 — The 2023 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4 p.m., New York time.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2023 on all players who have option clauses in their 2022 contracts.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit Qualifying Offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2022 contracts who have fewer than three Accrued Seasons of free agency credit.

Top 51 Rule is in effect. All clubs must be under the 2023 Salary Cap prior to 4 p.m., New York time. All 2022 NFL player contracts will expire at 4:p.m., New York time.

The first day of the 2023 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 15. Clubs will receive a Personnel Notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 15.

Trading period for 2023. Trading begins at 4 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2022 contracts.

Commencing at 4 p.m., New York time, Clubs may designate up to two Player Contracts that, if terminated on or prior to June 1, 2023, and if not renegotiated after January 9, 2023, shall be treated as if terminated on June 2, subject to the further requirements of CBA Article 13, Section 6(b)(ii)(1).

March 26-29 — Annual League Meeting, The Biltmore, Phoenix, Arizona

April 2023

Monday, April 3 — Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2022 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

Monday, April 17 — Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs

Wednesday, April 19 — Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.

Friday, April 21 — Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

Wednesday, April 26 — Deadline for prior club to exercise Right of First Refusal to restricted free agents.

Thursday, April 27 — Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls), or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.

April 27-29 — NFL Draft, Kansas City, Missouri

May 2023

Monday, May 1 — Deadline for Clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in the first round of the 2020 Draft. For the Dolphins, that would include QB Tua Tagovailoa, G/T Austin Jackson and CB Noah Igbinoghene.

May 5-8 or May 12-15 — 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 22-24 — Spring League Meeting, TBD

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alain Poupart has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989. You can follow him on Twitter at @PoupartNFL. Feel free to submit questions every week for the All Dolphins mailbag.