Trending Now - NFL Free Agency 2026: Legal Tampering Period Kicks Off

WHO:

President Trump is not mentioned in the articles.

Players mentioned include Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, Kenneth Walker III, Kirk Cousins, and Kyler Murray.

Teams mentioned include the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.

WHAT:

The NFL free agency period opens on March 9th, 2026, with a 52-hour legal tampering period.

Teams can start negotiating with certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents at noon EDT on March 9th, 2026.

The new league year begins at 4 p.m. EDT on March 11th, 2026.

The salary cap for 2026 is set at $301.2 million per club, an increase from $279.2 million in 2025.

Players tagged as franchise players include George Pickens, Kyle Pitts, and Breece Hall.

WHERE:

The legal tampering period and free agency activities are relevant to NFL teams across the United States.

WHEN:

The legal tampering period starts on March 9th, 2026, at noon EDT.

The official start of the new league year is on March 11th, 2026, at 4 p.m. EDT.

The deadline for teams to designate franchise players was on March 3rd, 2026.

The signing period for transition players begins on March 11th, 2026, at 4 p.m. EDT and ends on July 22nd, 2026.

WHY:

The legal tampering period allows teams to negotiate contracts with players who will become unrestricted free agents.

HOW:

Teams are permitted to negotiate with agents of unrestricted free agents but cannot speak directly to the players until the league year officially begins.

(UPDATED March 8, 2026 23:01 UTC)

The NFL free agency period kicks off tomorrow, March 9th, 2026, starting with a 52-hour legal tampering window where teams can negotiate with agents of unrestricted free agents. Notable players in the mix include George Pickens, Kyle Pitts, and Breece Hall, while teams like the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for the action. The new league year officially begins on March 11th at 4 p.m. EDT, when teams can start signing players and making their moves for the upcoming season.