Trending Now - NFL Free Agency Negotiations Begin Ahead of 2026 Draft

WHO:

NFL teams, unrestricted free agents, certified agents, players

Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, CBS Sports, NBC Sports

WHAT:

The NFL's two-day negotiating period for unrestricted free agents begins on March 9, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET.

The official start of the new league year and free agency is on March 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Teams can contact and negotiate with agents of players whose contracts expire at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 11, 2026.

The salary cap for 2026 is set at $301.2 million per club.

The NFL Draft begins on April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have 23 players set to become unrestricted free agents on March 11, 2026.

The Bengals have 13 players slated to become free agents on March 11, 2026.

The negotiating period allows teams to conduct one video or phone call for no longer than one hour with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents.

WHERE:

The NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

WHEN:

The two-day negotiating period runs from March 9, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET to March 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

The official signing period for free agency begins on March 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

WHY:

The negotiating period allows teams to prepare for free agency and improve their rosters by negotiating with potential free agents.

HOW:

Teams are permitted to contact agents of unrestricted free agents and negotiate contracts during the two-day period.

For the first time, teams can directly contact up to five free agents during the tampering window.

(UPDATED March 9, 2026 17:13 UTC)

Today marks the beginning of the NFL's two-day negotiating period for unrestricted free agents, which runs from noon Eastern Time until March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, when the official free agency period starts. During this time, teams can conduct one video or phone call for up to an hour with no more than five prospective free agents, allowing them to prepare for roster improvements ahead of the new league year. The salary cap for 2026 is set at $301.2 million per club, and the NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh starting April 23.