Trending Now - NFL Free Agency Period Begins for 2026 Season

WHO:

NFL teams, players, certified agents, clubs, and the NFL Communications.

The Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

WHAT:

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

The two-day negotiating period for unrestricted free agents runs from 12:00 p.m. ET on March 9, 2026, to 3:59:59 p.m. ET on March 11, 2026.

The salary cap for 2026 is set at $301,200,000 per club.

The 91st NFL Draft will be held from April 23-25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, marking the first time since 1948.

The Buccaneers hold the 15th overall selection in the first round of the draft.

The time between first-round selections has been reduced from ten to eight minutes starting in 2026.

WHERE:

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

WHEN:

The 2026 NFL free agency signing period begins on March 11, 2026.

The two-day negotiating period for unrestricted free agents is from March 9, 2026, to March 11, 2026.

The deadline for restricted free agents to negotiate is April 17, 2026.

The deadline for unrestricted free agents who received a tender is July 22, 2026.

The deadline for franchise players to sign is November 17, 2026.

WHY:

The free agency period allows teams to negotiate and sign players whose contracts have expired, facilitating team roster changes.

HOW:

Clubs can negotiate with certified agents of unrestricted free agents during the designated negotiating period.

Players with three accrued seasons may become restricted free agents if they receive a qualifying offer from their previous club.

Teams must be in compliance with the salary cap at the start of the 2026 League Year.

(UPDATED March 11, 2026 21:04 UTC)

Today marks the beginning of the 2026 NFL free agency signing period, which kicks off at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, following a two-day negotiating window for unrestricted free agents that started last Monday. The salary cap for this year is set at $301.2 million per club, and the 91st NFL Draft will take place from April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, where the Buccaneers will hold the 15th overall selection. As teams look to reshape their rosters, they must comply with the salary cap and can negotiate with certified agents during this crucial period.