Here are important dates of the 2026 NFL Offseason, including 2026 Free Agency, the 2026 NFL Draft and training camp, that Cincinnati Bengals fans need to know
January
Jan. 5
Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2026 players, including players from the CFL.
Clubs can renegotiate or extend drafted rookies from the 2023 class or undrafted rookies from the 2024 class. Clubs may also exercise fifth-year options for 2023 first-round picks.
Jan. 19
NCAA National Championship Game - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida.
Jan. 27
East-West Shrine Bowl - AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Jan. 31
Senior Bowl - Mobile, Alabama
February
Feb. 3
2026 Pro Bowl Games powered by Verizon, Moscone Center, San Francisco, California.
Feb. 5
NFL Honors
Feb. 8
Super Bowl LX - Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California.
Feb. 17
Clubs may begin designating Franchise or Transition Players at 4 p.m.
Feb. 23 - March 2
NFL Scouting Combine - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
March
Early March
College Pro Days begin.
March 3
Deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players at 4 p.m..
March 9-11
Negotiation Period. Beginning at noon on March 9 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. on March 11, clubs are permitted to contact and enter contract negotiations with the certified agents of Unrestricted Free Agents.
During the negotiation period, Unrestricted Free Agents who are Unrepresented are permitted to communicate directly with a new club's front office officials (excluding members of the coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations. No perspective free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new cub until 4 p.m. on March 11.
March 11
The 2026 League Year and Free Agency signing period begin at 4 p.m..
Trading Period for 2026 begins at 4 p.m. after the expiration of all 2025 contracts.
March 29 - April 1
Annual League Meeting - Phoenix, Arizona
April
April 15
Deadline for Draft-Eligible Facility Visits.
April 17
Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign Offer Sheets.
April 20
Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 22
Deadline for Prior Club to exercise right of first refusal to Restricted Free Agents who signed offer sheets.
Deadline for clubs to interview, time, test, visit or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 23-25
2025 NFL Draft - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May
May 1
Deadline for Clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
May 1-4 / May 8-11
Clubs may elect to hold one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the draft.
May 11
Rookie development programs begin.
May 13-17
NFLPA Rookie Premiere - Los Angeles, California
May 19-20
Spring League Meeting/Coach Accelerator - Orlando, Florida
June
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 higher qualifying offer to restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting lower "June 15 Tender" of one-year contract at 110% of the player's prior-year Paragraph 5 salary (compensation a player receives during the regular season, aka base salary) with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged.
July
July 15
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 2026 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 (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club's mandatory reporting date for veteran players. A club's preseason training camp will be deemed to have officially opened on the designated reporting date for all rookies.
Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed a player contract with any NFL club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
Veteran quarterbacks and "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) 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.
Bengals 2026 Training Camp dates have yet to be announced.
July 22
Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders at 4 p.m. After this date and until 4 p.m. on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
Signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a "UFA Tender" was made by prior club at 4 p.m. on July 21 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp (July 16), whichever is later. 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.
