2026 Free Agency Signing Period Begins

NEW YORK — March 11, 2026 — The National Football League today announced which players are free agents who can negotiate with all 32 clubs.

Players are either “restricted” or “unrestricted” free agents. Within the categories are also “franchise” and “transition” players.

The time period for free agency signings in 2026:

• Restricted Free Agents – March 11 to April 17.
• Unrestricted Free Agents (who have received the April 29 tender from prior club) – March 11 to July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later).
• Franchise Players – March 11 to the Tuesday following Week 10 of the regular season.
• Transition Players – March 11 to July 22.

A list of free agents by club in various categories:

Restricted free agents who received qualifying offers from their prior clubs and are subject to the first refusal/draft choice compensation system of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement:

If a player in this category receives an offer from a new club to sign a player contract for the 2026 season or for 2026 and future seasons, which offer the player desires to accept, the offer must be set forth in an offer sheet, signed by both the new club and the player, and must be substantially in the form of Appendix B of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new club and the player must specifically identify in the offer sheet those provisions they believe are principal terms that must be matched by the prior club for purposes of exercising a right of first refusal.

The prior club has a right of first refusal to all players listed in the category above. Draft choice compensation is as listed in the column on the right. If the prior club has only a right of first refusal and is therefore not entitled to compensation, the designation “ROFR” appears in that column. In order to submit an offer sheet, a new club must have available the required selection choice, defined as its own or better choice in the applicable rounds, in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Offer sheets may be submitted to a prior club until 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on Friday, April 17. An offer sheet shall be deemed given only when received by the prior club. A first refusal exercise notice, which must be substantially in the form of Appendix C to the CBA, shall be deemed given when sent by the prior club.

Players with three or more accrued seasons who have been designated as Non-Exclusive Franchise Players:

The prior club has a right of first refusal to the players listed above and compensation of two No. 1 draft choices. In order to submit an offer sheet, a new club must have available the required choices, defined as its own or better choices in the first round in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts. Offer sheets must be submitted to a prior club prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th regular season weekend. Offer sheets to franchise players are subject to the rules governing offer sheets to restricted free agents, as set forth in the category above, except that the prior club will be entitled to two No. 1 draft choices if the club declines to exercise its right of first refusal.

Players with three or more Accrued Seasons who have been designated as Transition Players:

The prior club has a right of first refusal to the players listed above. Offer sheets must be submitted to a prior club prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Offer sheets to transition players are subject to the rules governing offer sheets to restricted free agents, except that no draft choice compensation shall be made with respect to a transition player.

Unrestricted free agents with four or more accrued seasons:

In the event that a player in this category has not signed a player contract with a club by Wednesday, July 22, 2026 or the first scheduled day of the first 2026 NFL training camp, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from July 22 until the Tuesday following the 10th week of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club, provided that by April 27 the prior club has extended such player an unrestricted free agent tender under Article 9, Section 1(b)(i) (the unrestricted free agent tender) of the CBA, as amended.

In the event the player has not signed a player contract with a club by Monday, April 27, 2026, and if his prior club has not extended the player unrestricted free agent tender or has withdrawn the tender, the player shall be completely free to negotiate and sign a player contract with any club without any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, draft choice compensation between clubs or first refusal rights of any kind, or any signing period.

# – Player is a non-compensable unrestricted free agent.

Players with fewer than four accrued seasons who received no qualifying offer or minimum tender from their prior clubs:

The players in this category may sign a player contract with any club without any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, draft choice compensation between clubs or first refusal rights of any kind, or any signing period.

Contact: Sam Drexler, NFL; Sam.Drexler@NFL.com