The NFL “offseason” is increasingly become a season of its own.
The next few months are a critical time for the Ravens as they look to rebuild the roster and get back in position to compete for the playoffs in 2016.
As they move through that process, here’s an overview of the key dates on the offseason calendar:
Jan. 18: Deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft
Jan. 25-29: Practice for the Senior Bowl and Pro Bowl
Jan. 30: Senior Bowl, Mobile, Ala.
Jan. 31: Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii
Feb. 7: Super Bowl 50, Santa Clara, Calif.
Feb: 16: First day for teams to apply the franchise tag or transition tag on pending free agents
Feb. 23-29: NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Ind.
Feb. 27: NFL Regional Combine, Owings Mills, Md.
March 1: Teams must apply the franchise tag or transition tag by 4 p.m. to prevent pending free agents from hitting the market
March 7-9: The “legal tampering” period of free agency opens, where teams are allowed to enter into contract negotiations with pending free agents from other teams. No contracts can be signed during this time, but the negotiations are allowed.
March 9: Free agency opens at 4 p.m. with the start of the new league year. Teams must submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents before the market opens.
March 20-23: NFL Owner’s Meetings, Boca Raton, Fla.
April 4: Teams with new head coaches can begin offseason workout programs
April 18: Teams with returning head coaches can begin offseason workout programs
April 22: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
Mid-to-late April: NFL schedule release
April 28-30: NFL Draft, Chicago, Ill.
May 6-9 or May 13-16: Team can hold their three-day rookie minicamp
May 19-22: NFLPA Rookie Premiere
May 23-25: NFL Spring League Meeting, Charlotte, N.C.
June 19-25: Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio
July 15: Deadline for clubs who applied the franchise tag to sign that respective player to a long-term contract extension. If no agreement on an extension is reached, then the player will remain under the franchise tag salary for the duration of the 2016 season.
Late July: Training camp begins
