Countdown to Free Agency 2025 – Important NFL Offseason Dates

While the 2025 league year does not technically begin until March 12^th, there are many key calendar dates that are part of the NFL offseason process.  The following are the key dates on the league calendar between now and week 1 of the NFL season.

FEBRUARY 10^th – As of the Monday after the Super Bowl, teams are allowed to start releasing players without any repercussion on the 2024 Salary Cap.  All veteran players with more than four (4) accrued seasons are immediately free agents and not subject to waivers. All non-vested veterans (i.e. less than four (4) accrued seasons) are subject to waivers. If they clear waivers, they immediately become free agents and are free to sign a contract at any time (even if before March 12^th).

With the new league year set to commence on March 12^th, the Ravens (and most teams) generally start making salary cap moves in late February and early March.

Related Article: 2025 Ravens Salary Cap Preview

2025 Ravens Salary Cap Preview

FEBRUARY 24^th – MARCH 3^rd – NFL Draft Combine.

EARLY MARCH – The date that the NFL has announced the list of Compensatory Draft picks has varied over the years from the Friday of the NFL Combine to more recently, just before the new league year (March 10^th in 2020 and 2021; March 15^th in 2022; March 9^th in 2023; March 11^th in 2024).  After receiving only one (1) Comp pick in 2024, the Ravens are expected to receive four (4) Comp picks this year for the 2024 free agent losses of Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, Geno Stone and Kevin Zeitler.

FEBRUARY 18^th – MARCH 4^th – As of February 18^th, teams can begin designating pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) with the Franchise or Transition Tag.  If a team wants to use either Tag, they must do so by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 4^th.  The Ravens don’t appear to have any candidates for the Franchise Tag this year.

MARCH 3^rd – Barring a contract extension before then, the contract of OT Ronnie Stanley will void on March 3^rd.

MARCH 10^th – Barring a contract extension before then, the contract of WR Nelson Agholor will void on March 10^th.

MARCH 10^th – The “legal tampering” window opens.  At Noon on March 10^th, teams and pending UFAs can start discussing contract offers and terms with potential free agents, though a contract cannot be agreed upon (*wink-wink*) until March 12^th.

MARCH 12^th – At 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 12^th, the 2025 league year begins:

• Teams must have submitted tender offers to all of their Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) and Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) who they want to retain.
• Teams must exercise all 2025 contract options tied to the first day of the league year.
• Free agency begins for Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) and Restricted Free Agents (RFAs)
• The trading period begins.  Any trades agreed to before this date can now be officially consummated.
• All teams must be under the Salary Cap and the Rule of 51 Cap computation begins.

The 2025 Salary Cap has yet to be officially announced, but most reports are expecting it to be in the $270-275M range.  The Ravens presently have around $6M in Cap space. This number will obviously change between now and March 12^th as the Ravens make other moves – RFA/ERFA tenders, signing, re-signings, restructures and/or contract extensions – aimed at creating additional Cap space.

MARCH 15^th – 3^rd Day of League Year – RB Derrick Henry’s $1M Roster Bonus is due if Henry is on the Ravens’ roster at 4:00 pm on Saturday, March 15^th.

MARCH 16^th – 4^th Day of League Year – DT Michael Pierce’s $2M Option Bonus is due.

MARCH 17^th – 5^th Day of League Year – if on the Ravens’ roster at 4:00 pm on Monday, March 18^th, the following contract triggers hit:

• DT Nnamdi Madubuike’s $7.5M salary becomes fully guaranteed.
• WR Rashod Bateman’s $3.75M salary becomes fully guaranteed.

MARCH 19^th – 7^th Day of League Year – QB Lamar Jackson’s $20.25M base salary becomes fully guaranteed.

MARCH 20^th – 8^th Day of League Year – TE Mark Andrews’ $4M Roster Bonus is due.

MARCH 22^nd – 10^th Day of League Year – CB Marlon Humphrey’s $4M Roster Bonus is due.

APRIL 18^th – The deadline for teams to sign RFAs to an offer sheet.  If another team signs a RFA to an offer sheet, the player’s present team has five (5) days to match that offer or potentially (depending on the tender given to the player) receive draft pick compensation if they decline to match.  With the draft starting on April 24^th, the deadline to sign a player to an offer sheet and allow for the required 5-day match period is April 23^rd.  The Ravens have two RFAs this year: Ar’Darius Washington and Christian Matthew.

ARPIL 24^th-26^th – The NFL Draft, to be held in Green Bay this year.

The Ravens will have the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft and presently are expected to have 11 total picks in the 2025 draft.  They presently have their own 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th Round picks. The Ravens traded their own 5th Rd to Carolina for Diontae Johnson and Carolina’s 6th Rd pick. The Ravens are also expected to receive four (4) Compensatory Picks for the 2024 free agency losses of LB Patrick Queen (4th), DE Jadeveon Clowney (5th), S Geno Stone (5th or 6th) and G Kevin Zeitler (6th).

MAY 1^st  – May 1^st is the CBA-mandated date (Monday after the NFL draft) by which 5^th Year Options must be exercised for 4^th year players who were drafted in the 1^st round.  For the Ravens, this would be the deadline to exercise the 5^th Year Options for Safety Kyle Hamilton and Center Tyler Linderbaum.  In the past the Ravens have both exercised and declined 5^th Year Options, but short of a contract extension before then, the Ravens will most certainly exercise the options for both Hamilton (~$20M) and Linderbaum (~$25M).

MAY 1^st – The “May 1^st Tender” date.  This date, which was moved forward from June 1^st a couple of years ago, is essentially the last date that the signing or losing of a free agent will count toward the Compensatory Draft pick calculation. The May 1^st Tender is also a way a team can potentially obtain exclusive negotiating rights with a player later in the summer (after July 22^nd).  It also provides extended Comp pick eligibility if the player is tendered a contract of at least 110% of his prior year’s compensation by May 1^st.  Otherwise, if the player is not given the Tender, he no longer counts toward the Comp pick formula and the team does not gain any special negotiating advantage later in the off season.

JUNE 1^st – This is the last day that teams can release a player and have all of the dead money from that release count against the present year’s Salary Cap.  If released after June 1^st, only the present year’s bonus proration counts against the Cap in that year and all future bonus prorations would count against the following year’s Cap.

One guaranteed post-June 1 cut this year is Safety Marcus Williams. Based on the Post-June 1 designation, the Ravens will receive $2.1M in Cap space on June 2^nd.

JULY 15^th – This is the deadline for signing a player who has received the Franchise or Transition tag to a long-term deal.  If no long-term deal can be reached by this date, the player must play that year under the 1-year contract provided under the Franchise/Transaction Tender and cannot sign a long-term deal until after the season is over.

LATE JULY – NFL training camps start opening.

AUGUST 30^th– Final cutdown date; all teams must cutdown to 53 players by 4:00 p.m. on August 30^th.

SEPTEMBER 2^nd – At 12:00 a.m., the Rule of 51 ends and all teams must be fully under the 2025 Salary Cap.  This includes all of the players on the 53-man roster, the Practice Squad and all players on any of the reserve lists (IR, PUP, etc.).

SEPTEMBER 4^th, 7^th-8^th– Week 1 of 2025 NFL regular season.

For more details on the Ravens situation, be sure to check out the comprehensive 2025 Cap Preview here.

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