Important NFL Calendar Dates for the Saints

We take a look at some of the key dates in the NFL offseason calendar for the Saints, that will take us up to the draft in late April.

With the Saints season all but over, the NFL calendar becomes a bit more of an interest as we get closer to the offseason. It feels a little easier to turn the page on the team's season compared to recent ones, but we still wonder what could have been for Sean Payton's squad. They battled all season, overcoming tons of adversity and roadblocks, barely missing the playoffs in the process and finished with a winning record. 

We look in at the next several months and what it has in store for the Saints.

January

• Jan. 10: Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2019 College Draft or any undrafted rookie who signed in 2020. 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.
• Jan. 15-16: Wild Card Playoff Weekend.
• Jan. 22: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.
• Jan. 22-23: Divisional Round Weekend.
• Jan. 28: HBCU Combine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama.
• Jan. 30: AFC and NFC Championship Games.

The Saints are no stranger to finding some talent at the Senior Bowl

February

• Feb. 3: East-West Shrine Bowl, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Feb. 5: Senior Bowl, Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
• Feb. 6: NFL Pro Bowl, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Feb. 13: Super Bowl LVI, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California.
• Feb. 19: HBCU Legacy Bowl, Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana.

March

• Mar. 1-7: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Mar. 8: Prior to 4:00 p.m. ET, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
• Mar. 14-16: 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. ET on March 16. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m. ET on March 16. 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.
• Mar. 16: The 2022 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m. ET. Simultaneously, the trading period for 2022 begins after expiration of all 2021 contracts.
• Mar. 27-30: Annual League Meeting, The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida.

After free agency, all eyes will go heavy into the NFL draft

April

• Apr. 4: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2021 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
• Apr. 18: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
• Apr. 20: Deadline to bring draft-eligible players to their facilities for a physical examination.
• Apr. 22: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
• Apr. 27: Deadline for prior club to exercise Right of First Refusal to restricted free agents.
• Apr. 27: Deadline to time, test, and interview draft-eligible players.
• Apr. 28-30: NFL Draft, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Late April: NFL Schedule Release.

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