What's Ahead in February (and Beyond) for the Dolphins

The month features the date when teams can start designate franchise or transition players and ends with the scouting combine

Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) enters the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium in October. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins are now almost a month removed from the end of their 2024 season and while January was mostly about the playoffs around the NFL, the offseason starts heating up a bit in February before it really gets going in March.

Here's the rundown of the official 2025 NFL offseason calendar from February onward. Miami Dolphins items of notes indicated.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IMPORTANT 2025 OFFSEASON DATES

Dates Subject to change

FEBRUARY 2025

February 1 — Senior Bowl, Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

February 2 — Pro Bowl Games.

February 9 — Super Bowl LIX, Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

February 18 — Beginning this date through 4:00 p.m., New York time on March 4, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players. The most likely candidate for the Dolphins to get the transition or franchise tag is safety Jevon Holland. The tranchise tag number for safeties is expected to be $19.6 million and $15.6 million for the transition tag. The Dolphins are not expected to use either one.

February 24-March 3 — NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

MARCH 2025

March 4 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 10-12 — During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 10 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12, 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 2024 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 12.

-- During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor (“Unrepresented Player”) 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. The club is responsible for confirming the player’s status as an Unrepresented Player.

-- No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 12.

March 12 — The 2025 League Year and Free Agency signing period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

-- Trading period for 2025 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2024 contracts. If the Dolphins do wind up trading WR Tyreek Hill, this is when any deal would become official.

-- The first day of the 2025 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12. 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 12.

March 30-April 2 — Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.

APRIL 2025

April 7 — Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2024 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 16 — Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.

April 18 — Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets. The Dolphins have one pending RFA, cornerback Kader Kohou.

April 21 — Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs. This will be the Dolphins' offseason program start date with Mike McDaniel returning for a fourth season as head coach.

April 23 — Deadline for prior club to exercise Right of First Refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.

-- 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 24-26 — NFL Draft, Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Miami Dolphins currently are scheduled to have seven picks in the 2025 draft, though they're expected to land three additional compensatory picks and those will be awarded in March.

MAY 2025

May 1 — Deadline for Clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in the first round of the 2022 Draft. The Dolphins did not have a first-round pick in 2022.

May 2-5 or May 9-12 — 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. The Dolphins selected the second weekend after the draft the past three years. 

May 12 — Rookie Football Development Programs begin

May 20-21 — Spring League Meeting/Coach Accelerator, Minneapolis, Minnesota

JUNE 2025

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 higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent 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

JULY 2025

July 15 — At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2025 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.

Mid-July — Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club’s mandatory reporting date for veteran players. A club’s preseason training camp will be deemed to have officially opened on the designated reporting date for all rookies.
-- Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed a player contract with any NFL club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
-- Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies.

July 21 — At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
-- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 21 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp [July 16 in 2025], whichever is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

Additional reading:

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Safety Stories: Holland Leaves, Campbell Stays

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Dolphins Take Calculated Risk at Safety

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Dolphins Get their Veteran Guard

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Checking Out the AFC East Opponents on First Day of Free Agency

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Dolphins Tab Wilson as Backup QB