The 2025 NFL free agency period is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12, marking the official start of the new league year.
Here’s a breakdown of key dates, player classifications, and contract rules that Eagles fans need to know.
Key Dates for Free Agency
- Monday March 10 (12 p.m. ET)-Wednesday March 12 (3:59 p.m. ET): The negotiation (or "legal tampering" period means that clubs may contact and negotiate with the certified agents of players set to become unrestricted free agents. However, this does not apply to exclusive rights players, restricted free agents, franchise players, or transition players.
- Wednesday March 12, 4:00 p.m. ET: The official signing period begins, when teams can formally sign unrestricted free agents.
Types of Free Agents
Players in free agency fall into two primary categories:
- Restricted Free Agents (RFAs): Players with three accrued seasons whose contracts have expired and who have received a qualifying offer from their original team. Their teams hold the right of first refusal, meaning they can match any offer the player receives from another team.
- Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs): Players with four or more accrued seasons who can sign with any team without draft compensation owed to their former club.
Signing Periods by Player Type
- Restricted Free Agents: March 12 – April 18.
- Unrestricted Free Agents (who received a tender by April 28): March 12 – July 22 (or the first scheduled day of training camp, whichever is later).
- Franchise Tag Players: March 12 – November 11 (Tuesday following Week 10).
- Transition Tag Players: March 12 – July 22. After July 22, a player’s negotiating rights revert exclusively to his prior club. If the player does not sign by November 11, he must sit out the season.
Franchise and Transition Tags
Teams may apply either the franchise tag or the transition tag to one impending free agent per year. The franchise tag comes in two forms:
- Exclusive Franchise Tag: The player cannot negotiate with other teams and must sign a one-year deal worth the average of the top five salaries at his position (or 120% of his previous salary, whichever is greater).
- Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag: The player can negotiate with other teams, but if he signs elsewhere, his original team receives two first-round picks as compensation.
- Transition Tag: Allows a player to sign with another team, but the original team can match the offer without receiving compensation if it declines to do so.
A team may withdraw the franchise or transition tag at any time, making the player an unrestricted free agent.
Salary Cap and Compliance
- The 2025 salary cap is set at $279.2 million per team.
- Teams must be in full compliance with the salary cap by 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12.
- Teams can carry over unused cap space from the 2024 season if they notify the NFL by the day after their final regular-season game.
As free agency nears, teams will begin positioning themselves to secure key signings, retain critical players, and manage their salary cap effectively.