Offseason Guide: 2025 Calendar and Key Dates For the New Orleans Saints

Key dates to know for the Saints in the NFL offseason.

Nov 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (7) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (81) and tight end Foster Moreau (87) in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Saints offseason will be long, but they'll be back on the field before you know it. Over the next few months, New Orleans has to hire a new head coach, get under the salary cap, make big decisions on free agents, scout for college prospects and much more.

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Here's a glimpse at what the offseason calendar looks like for the Saints, with the biggest dates to remember for each month.

NFL Offseason Calendar for the Saints

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a New Orleans Saints helmet against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

January

Feb 1, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; West cornerback Jarius Monroe of Tulane (32) celebrates with his teammates in the end zone after Monroe intercepts a pass during the second half against the East at the Ford Center at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jan. 6 - Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2025 season, including players from the CFL.

Jan. 10-12 - College Gridiron Showcase (Fort Worth, Texas)

Jan. 11-13 - Super Wild Card Weekend

Jan. 18-19 - Divisional Playoff Games

Jan. 20 - NCAA National Championship Game (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia)

Jan. 26 - AFC/NFC Championship Games

Jan. 30 - East-West Shrine Bowl (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas)

February

Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New Orleans Saints senior defensive assistant Peter Giunta (left) speaks to defensive backs after drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Feb. 1 - Senior Bowl (Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama)

Feb. 2 - Pro Bowl (Orlando, Florida)

Feb. 9 - Super Bowl LIX (Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana)

Feb. 18 - Teams may designate Franchise or Transition Players

Feb. 22 - HBCU Legacy Bowl (Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana)

Feb. 24-March 3 - NFL Scouting Combine (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana)

March

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) looks up at fans before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

March 4 - Deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players

March 10-12 - The NFL's 'Legal' Tampering period starts for free agents

March 12 - New league year starts at 3 p.m. CT. The Saints must be in compliance with the salary cap and this is when free agents may be signed to the team.

March 28 - UFL Season kicks off

March 30-Apr. 2 - Annual League Meeting (The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida)

April

Bruno DiFabio of Mootz Pizzeria and Bar tosses some pizza dough before he participates in a Detroit-style vs. New York-style pizza battle against the Detroit Pizza Bar on Saturday, April 27, 2024 for the third day of the NFL Draft in Detroit. / Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Apr. 7 - Offseason program can begin for the Saints being that a new head coach will be in place

Apr. 24-26 - NFL Draft (Green Bay, Wisconsin)

May-July

May 11, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (18) runs quarterback drills during the rookie minicamp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

May 1 - Deadline for fifth-year option decisions

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.

May 12 - Rookie Football Development Programs begin

May 14 - NFLPA Rookie Premiere (Los Angeles, California)

May 20-21 - Spring League Meeting/Coach Accelerator (Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Mid-May - Saints Hall of Fame Golf Classic (Kenner, LA)

Mid-May - NFL Schedule will drop

Late May - Three weeks of OTAs

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.

Mid-June - Mandatory Minicamp

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

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.