The NFL’s main free agents can officially sign new contracts once the new league year begins, at 4 p.m. ET on the designated March date each offseason (for 2026, that date is March 11).

Below is a quick, clear breakdown tailored to your query “when can free agents sign nfl”.

Key NFL Free Agency Signing Windows

  • Negotiating window (“legal tampering”)
    • Usually starts two days before the new league year.
* During this time, teams can **negotiate and agree to terms** with unrestricted free agents, but **contracts are not official** yet.

* As of 2026, teams are also allowed **one direct video/phone call with up to five free agents** during this phase, in addition to talking with agents.
  • Official signing start time
    • When the new league year opens at 4 p.m. ET , UFAs whose contracts have expired can sign and have deals processed by the league.
* Example: In 2026, the negotiating period runs from **March 9 (noon ET) to March 11 (4 p.m. ET)** , and signings become official **starting at 4 p.m. ET on March 11**.
  • Players with expiring contracts
    • At 4 p.m. ET on the league year start date , players whose contracts expired become unrestricted free agents and are free to sign with any team.

Other Free Agent Types (Quick Scoop)

  • Unrestricted free agents (UFAs)
    • Can negotiate during the tampering window and sign as soon as the new league year starts.
  • Restricted free agents (RFAs)
    • Their original club can place a tender ; if no tender is made and the contract expires, they effectively become unrestricted and can sign elsewhere once the league year starts.
  • Street free agents / players not under contract
    • Players already released or not under contract (e.g., cut veterans) can usually sign at any time , even before the formal free agency period, because they aren’t bound by an expiring contract date.

Mini Timeline Example (2026 Offseason)

  • Before March 9
    • Teams can sign street free agents (players who were cut earlier, CFL players, etc.) subject to standard rules.
  • March 9, 12:00 p.m. ET
    • Negotiation window begins; teams talk to agents of pending UFAs, line up deals in principle.
  • March 11, 4:00 p.m. ET
    • New league year begins.
    • Pending UFAs’ contracts officially expire; they become free to sign anywhere and all those “in principle” deals can be signed and processed.

Simple Answer Recap

  • NFL free agents can sign new contracts officially starting at 4 p.m. ET on the first day of the new league year.
  • They can negotiate with teams during the two-day legal tampering window right before that.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.