Chiefs: Important NFL Offseason
Dates to Know
by Laddie Morse | February 5, 2019
February 5- today: Waivers Day: is the first day of the Waiver system. To understand the Waiver wire system you simply need to get these:
1) Cuts– players who have been in the NFL for four or more years, when they are released… are “cut,” and become Free Agents, and can not be “waived,” while…
2) Waivers– all other players — with three or fewer years of experience — entering the Waiver Wire system, these players are “waived,” and can not be “cut.”
3) Time Periods– from today (Feb. 5) until the 3rd week of the season, the Waiver wire order is based upon the draft ranking of teams. After that, is based upon the weekly standings. So, when a player gets waived, they are open to being taken by one of the current teams in the draft order… until after week 3 of the season. While, if a veteran player gets “cut” they then become free to barter with any team in the league for their services.
Right now, the Arizona Cardinals are first in line to consider any players taken who have been waived by their teams. Chiefs sit at #29.
February 12- CFL Day: players from the Canadian Football League (CFL), whose contracts have expired, may be signed by NFL teams.
February 19- Franchise Tag Begins: this is the first day that NFL teams can designate a Franchise Tag — or a Transition Tag — on a Player.
1) Franchise Tag– a legal restriction that a team places on a player who is set to be an unrestricted free agent which binds that player to the team for one more year of service. Limit: one per team per year.
2) Transition Tag– a legal restriction which a team places on a player who is due to be an unrestricted free agent which allows the team to meet or exceed any offer that another team may give that player. Often referred to as the “right-of-first-refusal.” Limit: one per team per year.
3) Double and Triple Dipping– a team can designate a player for the Franchise a 2nd and even a 3rd year but it is costly. A 2nd year requires the team pay that player 120% of their previous year’s salary. A 3rd year, the player get 144% of their previous salary.
February 26-to-March 4- Combine Week: the Annual NFL Scouting Combine takes place in Lucas Oil Stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 5- Franchise Tag Deadline: at 4:00 Eastern time, NFL teams must have designated the players they are going to give the Franchise tag, or the Transition tag, too.
March 11-to-13- Limited Contact: teams are allowed to contact Free Agents but not sign them. Dangerous game. NFL should eliminate this ridiculous period where they can say “Gotcha!”
March 13- New League Year Begins (all beginning at 4:00 Eastern):
1) Free Agency– teams can begin to sign Free Agents.
2) Options– teams must exercise their options on players.
3) Restricted FAs Due– teams must give qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts.
4) Non-Vet Offers Due– teams must offer a minimum salary to retain negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2018 contracts (with 3 or fewer seasons of free agency credit).
5) Top 51 Rule Begins– team must be under the new 2019 Salary Cap. The cap has not yet been set but, projects to be $187M-to-$191M.
6) Old League Year (2018) Ends– all 2018 contracts end at this time.
7) Trading Begins– teams may begin to trade players.
March 24-to-27- Annual League Meetings: team meetings in Phoenix, Arizona.
April 1- New HCs Workout Provision: teams that hired a new head coach may provide offseason workouts with players.
April 15- Returning Coaches Workouts: teams who had HCs returning may begin offseason workouts with players.
April 19- Restricted Free Agents Deadline: teams with restricted free agents must have them signed by this time.
April 25-to-27- NFL Draft: the draft takes place at the following time (all time Eastern):
2019 NFL Draft Schedule
- Round 1: Thursday, April 25, 8:00 p.m.
- Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26, 7:00 p.m.
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27, 2:00 p.m.
May 3-to-6- Post Draft Mini Camp: teams can hold a mini-camp for UDFAs and drafted players if they so choose.
May 10-to-13- Post Draft Mini Camo Alternative– teams may choose to hold their one post draft mini camp for UDFAs and drafted rookies now instead.
May 13- Rookie Football Development Programs Begin
May 16-to-19- NFLPA Rookie Premiere: invited rookies and second year players must be allowed by their teams to attend.
May 20-to-22- Spring League Meetings: meetings take place in Key Biscayne, Florida. I think this is when we typically see Andy Reid in this Hawaiian shirt.
For those of you who missed it, the Chiefs 2019 opponents have already been chosen. Here’s the Home and Away scheduled teams including their 2018 records (in no particular order since we don’t know the exact dates yet):
- Home
- Denver Broncos (6-10)
- Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)
- Oakland Raiders (4-12)
- Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
- Green Bay Packers (6-9-1)
- Houston Texans (11-5)
- Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (8-7-1)
- Away
- Denver Broncos (6-10)
- Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)
- Oakland Raiders (4-12)
- Chicago Bears (12-4)
- Detroit Lions (6-10)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
- New England Patriots (11-5)
- Tennessee Titans (9-7).
Sure looks like the league did the Chiefs no favors, opponent wise. Once June arrives everyone is making plans to visit the Chiefs training camp in July. I’ll provide another Calendar of event when the summer arrives. Training camp will be held in St. Jose again but no specific dates have been set yet. This is our year… the year of the Chiefs! Go Chiefs!
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