The NFL has announced the following important dates for 2018-19:
Mid-July - Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies beginning seven days prior to the club's earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players. Veteran players other than quarterbacks or injured players may report to a club's preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club's first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.
A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club's roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who report to camp, or join the club's roster, or receive medical clearance to practice during the three-day acclimation period are required to complete as much of the acclimation period as remains. Players who report to camp, or join the club's roster, or receive medical clearance to practice after the three-day acclimation period has ended may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
July 23 - Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
August 2 - Hall of Fame Game, Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears, Canton, Ohio.
August 2-5 - Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
August 7 - Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an accrued season for free agency.
August 9-13 - First Preseason Weekend.
August 16-20 - Second Preseason Weekend
August 23-26 - Third Preseason Weekend
August 30 - Final Preseason Games.
September 1 - Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.
September 2 - Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 noon, New York time.
September 2 - Upon receipt of the Personnel Notice at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York time, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 10 players (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) No club, including the player's prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a Practice Player Contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player's prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.
September 6, 9-10 - Regular Season opens.
October 14 - NFL London Series, Seattle Seahawks vs. Oakland Raiders, New Tottenham Stadium.
October 16-17 - Fall League Meeting, New York, New York.
October 30 - All trading ends for 2018 at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
December 12 - League Meeting, Irving, Texas.
December 30 - Week 17
December 31 - Option exercise period begins for Fifth-Year Option for First-Round Selections from the 2016 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after December 31, 2018, but prior to May 3, 2019.
January 5-6 - Wild Card Playoffs
January 12-13 - Divisional Playoffs
January 19 - East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
January 20 - AFC and NFC Championship Games.
January 26 - Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
January 27 - NFL Pro Bowl, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida.
February 3 - Super Bowl LIII, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia.
February 19 - First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 26-March 4 - Combine Timing and Testing, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 5 - Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 11-13 During the period beginning at 12 noon, New York time, on March 11th and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13th, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2018 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective unrestricted free agents who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor is permitted to communicate directly with a new club's front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club's coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations.
March 13 - The 2019 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The first day of the 2019 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
March 24-27 - Annual League Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 1 - Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2018 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 15 - Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 19 - Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 25-27 - NFL Draft, Nashville, Tennessee.
