When Does NFL Free Agency Start? Everything About NFL Free Agency 2024

The free agency market is always full of talented players seeking new teams. So, when does free agency start NFL? – NFL free agency start time is on Wednesday, March 17.

In this article, Scott Fujita will update you with hot news. We have compiled the questions for you to grasp quickly. Let’s read on for detailed information!

NFL free agency starts on Wednesday, March 17.

NFL Free Agency Overview

Due to the complicated developments of the COVID 19 pandemic, 2024NFL free agency was more modest. The fake NFL regular season, as well as playoffs, has ended as scheduled.

However, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the league’s bottom time. Therefore, it affects the salary that NFL players receive. This year, the NFL salary cap is 182M USD. This salary cap has decreased by 16M USD compared to the same period last year.

It seems that everyone is predictable to this severe drop. However, it has more or less affected the team and the players.

Let’s put the financial problem aside for now. In 2024, there aren’t many characters like Tom Brady. There is considerable scarcity for the midfield position. Instead, the defensive positions seemed to have piled up.

View more: 

• Hardest position in football
• Most important positions in football
• NFL playoff schedule

When Does NFL Free Agency Start?

NFL free agency start time is on Wednesday, March 17. However, the actual NFL free agency start date is Monday, March 15. That is the beginning of the legal tampering period.

What Does the NFL Legal Tampering Period Mean?

According to the NFL, this time includes a 2-day window. At this period, the clubs and players who wish to become unrestricted free agents will negotiate.

They can enter into contract negotiations, agreeing or disagreeing. The players will officially become unrestricted free agents upon contract expiration. 

However, all the action only officially took place on 17th March. It is the milestone marking a new NFL league year begins. 

So what time does NFL free agency start in detail?

• Starting time: 12 p.m. ET on March 15th, 2024.
• Ending time:  Before 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 17th, 2024.

Players and teams can enter into contract negotiations before Wednesday, March 17th.

Taboos During the Legal Tampering Period

There are a few strict rules that players need to follow during this time. That is, players are not allowed to interact, talk or even interact with other clubs.

Even home visits are not enough. If so, he can only visit members of the club he signed for in the previous season.

Let me take an example for you to understand! Dak Prescott is the main quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL league year in 2024. So he can only visit the Cowboys.

Also, players’ agents are not “restricted free agents.” They also cannot discuss with other clubs.

In general, they all have to wait until the start of free agency – 17th March.

What Are the Franchise or Transition Tags?

It happens that sometimes teams don’t want their members to become free agents. They need to prevent negotiations between their free agents and rival clubs.

They will now use the franchise or transition tags. By the NFL rules, a tagged or franchise player needs to sign a 1-year contract with a salary set by the league.

Decisions relating to franchise or transition tags need to take place by 9th March.

Players Who Will Become the Top Free Agents in 2024

As mentioned above, this year, the number of people who want to become a defender is much higher than midfield.

Below is a list of outstanding players who can get the best salary among free agents:

• Shaquil Barrett.
• Yannick Ngakoue.
• Bud Dupree.
• Trey Hendrickson.
• Carl Lawson.
• Corey Linsley.
• Melvin Ingram.
• Hunter Henry.
• Leonard Williams.
• Anthony Harris.
• Richard Sherman.
• Joe Thuney.

Shaquil Barrett was the one who played under the franchise tag in the previous season. He won a lot of glory in the 2019 playoffs. That year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won convincingly in Super Bowl LV.

LTrey Hendrickson and Carl Lawson enjoyed their impressive seasons last year.

In addition, names like Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith Schuster, Curtis Samuel, and Will Fuller are also quite prominent.

Trent Williams from the San Francisco 49ers can also become the free agent with the highest salary for the offensive tackle position.

The Distinction Between a “Restricted Free Agent” & an “Unrestricted Free Agent.”

The restricted free agent is a player who has spent three accrued seasons. He will be officially eligible to become a restricted free agent when his contract expires on March 17.

The unrestricted free agents are players who have four accrued seasons or even more. When his 2020 contract ends, the unrestricted free agent has the freedom to join any team. At this point, they don’t need to pay any compensation to his former team.

The Most Cap Teams

Below are rankings of the most cap teams until 15th March.

1st Salary Cap – Jacksonville Jaguars

The “Jacksonville Jaguars” is the team with the most significant salary cap. In addition, they also got the 1st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. These advantages set the stage for Urban Meyer in Florida.

1st Salary Cap – Jacksonville Jaguars.

2nd Salary Cap – New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are the team with the second-most cap space. They needed something to retool after missing out on the Playoffs.

3rd Salary Cap – New York Jets

The New York Jets excelled in 3rd place. They are also the owners of the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

We have aggregated data from overthecap.com. Below is a list of clubs coming with the most significant salary cap until 15th March.

• Jacksonville Jaguars with USD72.9M.
• New England Patriots with USD69.3M.
• New York Jets with USD68.4M.
• Los Angeles Chargers with USD46.3M.
• Indianapolis Colts with USD45.9M.
• Cincinnati Bengals with USD41.3M.
• Washington Football Team with USD38.1M.
• Miami Dolphins with USD32.7M.
• Denver Broncos with USD31.5M.
• San Francisco 49ers with USD30.7M.

Final Thoughts

When does NFL free agency begin? When is the start of NFL free agency? Hopefully, the above article has provided you with useful information to answer these questions.

Thank you for reading!