BRONCOS

Key dates on the NFL calendar will map out the Broncos offseason

Jan 1, 2020, 5:27 PM

While the NFL turns its attention to the playoffs, which get underway this weekend with four wild card games, teams that aren’t participating in the postseason have already turned their attention toward 2020. For some, that means hiring new coaches and general managers. For others, like the Broncos, it’s about mapping out how to improve their team before the start of next season.

The first step in that process will involve evaluating the players currently on the roster, which will get underway in a month. For the first time, the Broncos will be taking a break before grading their own players, something both John Elway and Vic Fangio explained in their end-of-the-season press conference on Monday.

“That gives us more time to do it the right way,” the Broncos general manager explained. “Rather than doing it on a personal side, because the coaches get connected with (players). You get a better objective view when you get away and you’re able to go back and look at it individually.”

It’s an approach the head coach brought with him to Denver.

“After you have a chance to go and watch the season in its entirety and the emotional level — good and bad — has disappeared,” Fangio said. “You make a better objective grade after you watch the entire season again in a logical manner.”

That process will get started in late January or early February, but it’ll be far from the only thing on the Broncos agenda this offseason. Here are some other key dates that will provide the franchise with a road map for retooling its roster:

January 17
Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2020 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 21.

January 18
East-West Shrine Bowl, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida. — NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.

January 25
Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.

January 31
Deadline for NFL clubs to try out and negotiate with CFL players whose 2019 contracts are due to expire at 12:00 noon, New York time, on February 11, 2020.

February 3
Waiver system begins for 2020.

February 11
Beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, NFL clubs may begin to sign players whose 2020 CFL contracts have expired. Players under contract to a CFL club for the 2020 season or who have an option for the 2020 season are not eligible to be signed.

February 24 to March 2
NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana. — First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

February 25
First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 10
Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 16
Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2019 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 18.

March 18
Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2020 on all players who have option clauses in their 2019 contracts.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2019 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.

Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2020 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.

All 2019 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

The 2020 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The first day of the 2020 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18.

Trading period for 2020 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2019 contracts.

March 29 to April 1
Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.

April 6
Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2019 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 17
Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.

April 20
Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 23-25
2020 NFL Draft, Las Vegas, Nevada.

April 27
Beginning this date, NFL clubs may request permission to visit with, try out, or sign any player who was under contract to the XFL at the conclusion of the XFL season.

May 1-4
Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 5
Deadline for prior club to send “May 5 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.

May 8-11
Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 19-20
Spring League Meeting, Marina Del Ray, California.

June 1
Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.

June 15
Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

July 15
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 one- year contract with his prior club for the 2020 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 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 22
Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 5 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.

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.

August 6
Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio.

September 8
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/Non- Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.

September 6
Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 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 (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) 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 10
At 12:00 a.m., New York time, the Top 51 Rule expires for all NFL clubs.

September 10-14
Regular Season Week 1.

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