NFL Off Season Calendar

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Haven't seen this posted yet, usually have one up here on board, maybe even pinned?

 

[Ned Flanders]

Always liked the term "legal tampering." 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

3 hours ago, Ned Flanders said:

Always liked the term "legal tampering." 

 

It wasn't called that on the NFL website, I just figured that was the best way to descibe it in the least amount of words

[SoonerBillsFan]

8 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

It wasn't called that on the NFL website, I just figured that was the best way to descibe it in the least amount of words

Its named perfectly

[BuffaloBillyG]

Whoa. Didn't realize Free Agency was coming so soon. Always an exciting week...

 

Normally, I don't expect much. But this year I think we are going to be aggressive. Lots of holes to fill before the draft and tons of ways to create cap room. Let's go!

[GunnerBill]

18 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Haven't seen this posted yet, usually have one up here on board, maybe even pinned?

 

 

Just goes to show for all the "delay the entire coaching carousel until after the Superbowl" how unrealistic that is. They have squeezed all the juice there is out of the time in the spring. Any further amendments to the calendar (including the 18th game) will have to come from the season or the pre-season. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Just goes to show for all the "delay the entire coaching carousel until after the Superbowl" how unrealistic that is. They have squeezed all the juice there is out of the time in the spring. Any further amendments to the calendar (including the 18th game) will have to come from the season or the pre-season. 

 

Agree though they have talked about wanted to move the SB back one week to occur on Presidents Day weekend. (Daytona 500 wouldn't like that too much)  But then likely still need to start one week earlier too if adding a 2nd bye.

[GunnerBill]

33 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Agree though they have talked about wanted to move the SB back one week to occur on Presidents Day weekend. (Daytona 500 wouldn't like that too much)  But then likely still need to start one week earlier too if adding a 2nd bye.

 

If they do that I still think they end up having to pinch the week from the start of camp - the third week of July. I don't think there is more time to pinch from spring. So everything shuffles back 1 week. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

32 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

If they do that I still think they end up having to pinch the week from the start of camp - the third week of July. I don't think there is more time to pinch from spring. So everything shuffles back 1 week. 

 

So if they move SB back one week to prez weekend, cut one pre-season game out and start season one week earlier, Labor Day weekend.  Figure cutting out one pre-season game gives them the 18th week, then pushing SB out one week gives a 2nd bye.  Ad that all up, could still start camp same time.  They also could eliminate this extra week they've recently gone to between last pre-season game and first regular season game.  But that doesn't help with begin and end of regular season

 

They've tried to avoid playing on Labor Day weekend, but likely need to do that.  Remember season use to start then.  Also recall watching the SB on Jan 12th!

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I remember hitting F5 back in highschool when FA used to open up at midnight. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

March 29 to April 1, league meetings.

Is that when we get those sappy group photos of coaches and others?  I half expect Meatball Vrabel to take a swing at someone. 🤨

[SoCal Deek]

Since first deadline is within the week….is there anyone that the Bills are ‘tagging’ this year? Is anyone even eligible? 

Edited February 11 by SoCal Deek

[SoonerBillsFan]

3 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Since first deadline is within the week….is there anyone that the Bills are ‘tagging’ this year? Is anyone even eligible? 

If anyone it would be McGovern.   We need to keep Josh's Center

[Warriorspikes51]

I believe Trades are sometimes “announced” by Adam/Ian weeks before they are made official at the new league year start

 

can anyone confirm if my memory is correct?

[Lofton80]

What day do they have to be under the cap? Day before free agency?

[ColoradoBills]

6 minutes ago, Lofton80 said:

What day do they have to be under the cap? Day before free agency?

 

March 11th.  1st day of the league (4pm).

[co_springs_billsfan]

On 2/7/2026 at 7:38 PM, TheyCallMeAndy said:

I remember hitting F5 back in highschool when FA used to open up at midnight. 

Joke was on us.  Buddy Nix was sound asleep

[BarleyNY]

On 2/6/2026 at 9:55 PM, BuffaloBillyG said:

Whoa. Didn't realize Free Agency was coming so soon. Always an exciting week...

 

Normally, I don't expect much. But this year I think we are going to be aggressive. Lots of holes to fill before the draft and tons of ways to create cap room. Let's go!

Aggressive at the FA starting gun gets you Joshua Palmer for 3 years, $29M with $18M guaranteed. Or a 33 yo Von Miller on a monster deal. No thank you. Unless the Bills pull off a trade for an elite player, I’d rather they let the first wave of FA pass. Players signed in day one get fans excited, but teams always regret those contracts - with only very rare exceptions (Drew Brees comes to mind). Be smart this year, Beane!

Edited February 15 by BarleyNY

[BuffaloBillyG]

2 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

Aggressive at the FA starting gun gets you Joshua Palmer for 3 years, $29M with $18M guaranteed. Or a 33 yo Von Miller on a monster deal. No thank you. Unless the Bills pull off a trade for an elite player, I’d rather they let the first wave of FA pass. Players signed in day one get fans excited, but teams always regret those contracts - with only very rare exceptions (Drew Brees comes to mind). Be smart this year, Beane!

Problem becomes that in this offseason, the positions we really need to upgrade (EDGE; WR) are thin and there are a lot of teams that will look to upgrade those spots as well. 

 

While you are correct, jumping in early nets you an overpriced Palmer, waiting too long nets you a useless Elijah Moore. 

 

I don't think an overpay is bad or as bad as it used to be as the cap is jumping up higher every year. The problem has been combining the overpay and spending it on the wrong guys. 

 

We also have to remember that we may need to pay more to get a guy here as opposed to a team like the Bucs or Jags as there are a lot of players who have agents and accountants that will want extra to live in a higher tax state 

[BarleyNY]

10 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Problem becomes that in this offseason, the positions we really need to upgrade (EDGE; WR) are thin and there are a lot of teams that will look to upgrade those spots as well. 

 

While you are correct, jumping in early nets you an overpriced Palmer, waiting too long nets you a useless Elijah Moore. 

 

I don't think an overpay is bad or as bad as it used to be as the cap is jumping up higher every year. The problem has been combining the overpay and spending it on the wrong guys. 

 

We also have to remember that we may need to pay more to get a guy here as opposed to a team like the Bucs or Jags as there are a lot of players who have agents and accountants that will want extra to live in a higher tax state 

Scarcity and desperation (embattled GMs & HCs) are what drives up the price of good, but not great FAs. Overpaying free agents is not a winning strategy long term.

I am not saying that a team can’t absorb one - or even two - contracts like that. It’s possible. But the Bills aren’t one player away and they tied up a lot of (read: too much) money and cap on keeping good players last season. Yet there are a lot more holes on this team than fans realize, especially with the expected change in defensive scheme.

As others have said, the biggest issue is a lack of elite players. Show me which FAs fit that bill. It’s a thin group now and we haven’t even gotten to the tag period. That group will get thinner.