Some important dates regarding free agency etc

[Chrisbob74]

Teams can officially designate Franchise and Transition Players between Feb 6, 2004 and Feb 20, 2004.

Feb 28 is the deadline for clubs to submit qualifying offers to their RFAs whose contracts have expired and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Draft Compensation.

Free Agency officially begins on Feb. 29. For RFAs, the period officially ends on April 18. The deadline for old clubs to exercise the Right of First Refusal to RFAs is April 25. For UFAs (including Franchise players and Transition players), who have been given a tender offer from their prior team, the period officially ends on July 15 or the first day of training camp -- whichever is later.

A team has until March 15 to work out a long term deal with its Franchise Player. If the team signs the Franchise Player between March 15 and July 15, the tag stays with that player for the length of his contract, which means that the team cannot name another Franchise Payer until that player's contract is terminated.

A prior team has until June 1 to tender an UFA or a RFA a qualifying offer (worth at least 110% of the salary of the final year of the contract with the prior team). In the case of UFAs, if such an offer is made, the player has until July 22 to sign with a DIFFERENT club. If he doesn't, then the only team that the player can sign with after July 22, is the prior club. In the case of RFAs, if such a June 1 tender is made, the player can ONLY sign with the the prior club. If no June 1 tender is made for a RFA (or the tender is rescinded by the prior club before July 22), then the player becomes an UFA. In the case of both UFAs and RFAs, if the player does not sign with the Prior team by the first Tuesday following Week 10 of the regular NFL season, then the player shall be prohibited from playing in the NFL for the remainder of that season.

Deadline for old clubs to withdraw an original qualifying offer to a RFA and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting tender of 110% of previous year’s salary is June 15.