NFL teams can start trading at the very start of the new league year, which in practice is when the official “trading period” opens each offseason.

Key answer for 2026

  • For the 2026 NFL offseason, the trading period begins on March 11, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
  • That moment is also the official start of the 2026 league year and the main free agency signing period, because all 2025 player contracts formally expire then.
  • From that time on, teams can trade players and picks as long as the moves comply with salary cap rules and all standard trade procedures.

Think of it like a “roster reset” gate: once the new league year clock hits 4:00 p.m. ET, phones start buzzing, and trades that were discussed or agreed to in principle can finally become official and hit the transaction wire.

How this usually looks each year

  • Late winter: Teams position themselves with cuts, restructures, and tag decisions leading up to the league year.
  • League year opens: Trading period + free agency begin simultaneously at 4:00 p.m. ET on the designated March date.
  • In-principle deals: Some trades leak before that time but cannot be processed by the league office until the window opens.

If you’re just looking for the practical fan headline for 2026:
“NFL trades can officially start at 4 p.m. ET on March 11, 2026.”

TL;DR: When can NFL teams start trading? At the start of the new league year—this offseason that’s March 11, 2026 at 4 p.m. ET.

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