Here's a quick look at some important dates on the Patriots / NFL calendar.

JULY

July 16
At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a oneyear contract with his prior club for the 2018 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game.

Mid-July

• Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies and first-year players beginning seven days prior to the club's earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for Veteran players.
• Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) 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.
• Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club's preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players.
• 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 rejoin the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.

July 23*
Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a "May 8 Tender" was made by prior club. 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.

*or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.

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.

July 25
Veterans report to Patriots Training Camp.

July 26
First Patriots Training Camp practice open to the public. Get more info at www.patriots.com/trainingcamp.

AUGUST

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.
• If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2018, and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2019 League Year.

August 9
Patriots open the preseason against the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium.

SEPTEMBER

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.
• Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/NonFootball Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.

September 2

• Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12 noon, New York time
• Upon receipt of the Personnel Notice at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York time, clubs may establish a practice squad of 10 players. 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 3-8

• ​In accordance with the 2018 Personnel (Injury) Report Policy, each club is required to file a Practice Report with the NFL communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time, (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for a regular season Sunday game; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a Thursday game; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a Monday game; and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Saturday game.
• Each club must also file a weekly regular season Game Status Report with the NFL communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) on Wednesday for a Thursday game, Friday for a Sunday game, Saturday for a Monday game, and Thursday for a Saturday game. An update must be reported if there is any change in a player's condition after the initial Game Status Report is filed.

September 6
At 12:00 a.m., New York time, the Top 51 Rule expires for all NFL clubs.

September 6, 9-10
Regular Season opens.

September 9
Patriots regular season opener against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium.

September 25
Beginning on the Tuesday following the third weekend of regular season games, the claiming priority is based on the inverse order of the standing of clubs in the current season's games.

OCTOBER

October 1
NFL London Series, Seattle Seahawks vs. Oakland Raiders, New Tottenham Stadium.

Mid-October
Beginning on the sixth calendar day prior to a club's seventh regular season game (including any bye week) clubs are permitted to begin practicing players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform and Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness for a period not to exceed 21 days. Players may be activated during the 21-day practice period, or prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day after the conclusion of the 21-day period, provided that no player may be activated to participate in a Week 6 game. 

A player who is "Designated For Return" must have suffered a major football-related injury or non-football-related injury or illness after reporting to training camp and must have been placed on the applicable Reserve List after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day after the final roster reduction.

A player whom the club wishes to designate for return is permitted to return to practice for a period not to exceed 21 days. The club is required to notify the League office that the player has been "Designated For Return" on the first day the player begins to practice. The player cannot be returned to the Active/Inactive List until eight weeks have elapsed since the date he was placed on Reserve.

October 16-17
Fall League Meeting, New York, New York.

October 21
NFL London Series, Tennessee Titans vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Wembley Stadium.

October 28
NFL London Series, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Wembley Stadium.

October 30
All trading ends for 2018 at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

October 31
Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons are subject to the waiver system for the remainder of the regular season and postseason.

NOVEMBER

November 13

• At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Franchise Players who are eligible to receive offer sheets. 

• Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unsigned Franchise and Transition Players, including Franchise Players who were eligible to receive offer sheets until this date. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in the NFL in 2018.

• Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their Unrestricted Free Agents to whom the "May 9 Tender" was made. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in the NFL in 2018.

• Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their Restricted Free Agents, including those to whom the "June 1 Tender" was made. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in the NFL in 2018.

• Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their drafted rookies. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in the NFL in 2018.

November 19
NFL Mexico Series, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Rams, Estadio Azteca.

DECEMBER

December 12
League Meeting, Irving, Texas.

December 30
Week 17.

December 31

• ​Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract, and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts. 
• Option exercise period begins for Fifth-Year Option for First- Round Selections from the 2015 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after December 1, 2018, but prior to May 3, 2019.

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