garyo1954
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This article was written in 2014 so the dates change year to year, but the idea is always the same........
The NFL Combine (Feb. 19th to 25th): This is the unofficial start of free agency. This is where I/agents will have many closed-door meetings with teams who have an interest in our free agents. There are also meetings with teams trying to sign back their own free agents. The tricky part of this process for the team (trying to resign their own UFA) is not to set the floor price for the agent to go shop to other teams (which we will).
At a minimum, the agent wants to walk away from the Combine with three or more top teams interested in his UFA(s) and have a good idea of what the market will be for his client.
February 23rd to March 8th: Negotiations between players and their existing club will heat up, if they are interested that is. Agents will press existing teams to step up and get a deal done. Teams aggressively wanting to sign a UFA will start putting numbers on the table and convince the agent to have the player visit them first on March 11th. Some teams will let their own players willingly go into free agency to establish a market. They may sit back and gamble playing “match the market”. Thus, keeping tabs on the player and what other teams are offering then hoping to match it before losing the player. Look for some deals to get done in this time tranche.
March 8th to March 11th: Non-exclusive teams can contact UFAs and their agents and begin negotiating. Players cannot actually visit teams during this time or sign a deal. This is also the period where teams wanting to sign their own players back show their hand and put their best deal on the table.
March 11th through the first five days of free agency: This usually the time where the most sought after UFAs sign with a new club. For agents representing many UFAs they have had the deal done already and are just waiting to make it official. Players also make physical team visits, sometimes lining up as many as five in a row with all teams jockeying to be the first visit. There they may have dinner with the team brass, get a tour of the city, meet the owner, get a physical and/or talk Xs and Os with a coordinator. Teams don’t usually let the player leave the building without signing a new deal.
Beyond March 16th:During the second week of free agency, the second tier level of free agents may start getting some action along with team visits and eventual signings. A few weeks later a third level of UFAs get targeted. These players are usually being sought after by teams offering deals with minimal signing bonuses and are usually near the minimum of the players salary level for his years of service.
(I hate the long quote but it in informational)
https://nationalfootballpost.com/how-nfl-free-agency-really-works-2784/
