FEBRUARY 2012
Febuary 20: Teams can begin to designate franchise/transition players.
Febuary 22 - 28: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.
Febuary 25 - 26: Regional Combine - New York Jets Training Facility.
MARCH 2012
March 3: Regional Combine - Chicago Bears Training Facility.
March 5: Deadline for designating franchise/transition players (4:00 PM ET).
March 10 - 11: Regional Combine - Atlanta Falcons Training Facility.
March 13: 2012 League Year Begins.
- Beginning of free-agent signing period (4:00 PM ET).
- Beginning of trade period (4:00 PM ET).
- Deadline for submission of qualifying offers by clubs to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with fewer than three accrued seasons (4:00 PM ET).
- Deadline for submission of qualifying offers by clubs to retain a right of first refusal / compensation to their RFAs (4:00 PM ET).
March 17: Regional Combine - Cleveland Browns Training Facility.
March 25 - 28: NFL Annual Owner's meeting, Palm Beach, Fla.
Late March: Compensatory Draft picks announced.
March 30 - 31: Super Regional Combine - Ford Field, Detroit
APRIL 2012
April 16: Teams with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout program.
April 21: Deadline for tendered RFAs to sign with new clubs.
April 26 - 28: 2012 NFL Draft.
Late April - 2012 NFL schedule is announced.
MAY 2012
May 21 - 23: NFL Spring Meeting.
JUNE 2012
June 1:
- Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned unrestricted free agents to receive exclusive negotiating rights for rest of the season if player is not signed by another club by July 22.
- Deadline for old clubs to submit a qualifying offer to unsigned exclusive rights free agents.
- Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned restricted free agents or to extend qualifying offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights with exclusive rights free agents.
JULY 2012
July 22:
- Deadline for unsigned UFA to sign with new clubs.
- Deadline for transition players to sign with new clubs.
Late July: Training camps across the league begin.
AUGUST 2012
Early August: 2012 Preseason begins.
August 28: Roster cutdown to 80 players.
SEPTEMBER 2012
September 2: Roster cutdown to 53 players.
September 3: Teams may establish practice squads.
