Long before the 2024 NFL season concluded, every franchise began preparing for the offseason. The Washington Commanders were among them despite a sensational run to the NFC Championship game.
College scouts were putting draft boards together. Pro scouts were keeping tabs on all pending free agents. They all had certain key dates memorized.
Let’s run through the upcoming dates that will have a massive impact on which players will be taking the field for the Commanders in 2025.
The only new players who have been added to rosters since the trade deadline last November have been free agents who were not under contract. Franchises could also tinker with the status of their players by negotiating contract extensions or inking developmental players to reserve/future contracts.
Most of these transactions would involve players on the roster fringes. The Commanders have signed several players to contracts before and after their playoff quest ended. They have high hopes for all of them — especially Anim Dankwah, the massive offensive tackle from Howard University — but players such as these rarely make a big impact in the NFL historically.
To acquire more high-profile players, teams have to wait until the new league year begins, Then, the fun starts.
We’ll bookmark some important dates looking ahead. You can be sure that Adam Peters has had them memorized for quite some time.
Commanders offseason primer: Key dates for the diary in 2025
Franchise tag window
- February 18-March 4
Since 1993, NFL teams have been able to put the franchise tag on a player. There is no requirement to do so and only one player can be designated as such at any time.
Tagging a player allows the team to retain his rights after he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) by paying him a league-determined average of the top salaries at his position.
The tag lasts for one year. If no new contract has been agreed after that, the team may tag him for a second season, but the salary escalates even further. It becomes prohibitively expensive. Well-run franchises rarely tag a player in consecutive years.
Under former ownership, Washington did that exact thing twice — with Kirk Cousins and then Brandon Scherff. Both players became UFAs after their second tagging and left the organization.
Teams can place a franchise tag on a pending UFA between February 18 and March 4. If they choose not to do so, they may instead use a “transition” tag on a player. This allows him to negotiate with other teams but also permits his current club to match any offer.
The Commanders are unlikely to franchise or transition tag any player this offseason. If they do and they receive a formal offer from another club, Washington gets seven days to match.
Washington did not have a player under a franchise or transition tag last year. Two years ago, they franchise-tagged Daron Payne but were able to sign him to an extension a few weeks later.
That is a fairly typical way for a franchise tag to function. It incentivizes the players to reach a new deal. Even though the Commanders do not have any likely candidates for either tag this year, fans interested in Tee Higgins might keep an eye on what the Cincinnati Bengals decide to do with their star wide receiver.
Legal tampering window
- March 10-12
At noon ET on March 10, all NFL franchises may enter into negotiations with pending UFAs. Because the league year will not have ended, those players are still under contract to their 2024 teams. Therefore, no formal deal can be signed. But terms can be agreed upon.
This has come to be known as legal tampering. It was instituted in 2012 in recognition of the fact that it was very difficult to police informal conversations between franchises and players through various intermediaries. The process, in theory, brings the wheeling and dealing into the light.
It also sets off an intensive period in which the parameters of the free agency period will be defined. Some high-profile players will reach verbal agreements. Since the deals cannot be signed until the new league year begins, it can also lead to some curve balls.
That happened with the Commanders in 2022 when J.D. McKissic agreed to a deal with the Buffalo Bills. However, the running back changed his mind and ended up re-signing with Washington at the last minute.
New league year begins
- March 12
The 2024 NFL season is officially over at 4 p.m. ET on March 12. All players not under contract for the 2025 campaign become free agents.
There are three levels. The most common one, for players with four or more years of accrued service in the league, is unrestricted free agency. Those are the players who are free to negotiate and sign with any team
Due to legal tampering, there will be a flurry of major signings on March 12 and a few days after.
On the first day of free agency last year, Adam Peters signed Nick Allegretti, Frankie Luvu, Jeremy Chinn, and Dorance Armstrong Jr. among others. All four were important starters in 2024.
He then snapped up Bobby Wagner, Tyler Biadasz, Dante Fowler Jr., and Austin Ekeler. Three of the players Peters signed in the first few days of free agency were named second-team All-Pros.
Restricted free agents sign offer sheets
- April 18-23
The other two types of free agents are restricted free agents (RFAs) and exclusive rights free agents (ERFAs). The former have three years of accrued experience and the latter have two or fewer campaigns. Clubs can choose to extend tender offers in these categories and maintain much greater control over their ability to move.
RFAs and ERFAs who are not tendered become UFAs when the new league year begins. Tendered ERFAs cannot negotiate with other teams, but RFAs who have been tendered can from on April 18.
They can sign an offer sheet with another club, and then their current team has the right to match the offer. There are four different types of tender offers. Depending on which offer has been made, the original team may receive some type of draft compensation if they decide not to match.
This year, the Commanders have 28 players scheduled to become UFAs but no RFAs and just one ERFA — running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.
2025 NFL Draft
- April 24-26
Teams can sign UFAs at any point in the year, but there is typically a major lull as the draft approaches. After teams can assess the new players added via the college ranks, there is a second, less frantic phase of free-agent signings throughout May and the rest of the summer.
As franchises begin slotting rookies into depth charts, some veterans may be released. This results in a new, smaller batch of UFAs coming onto the market.
Deadline on fifth-year options
- May 1
For 2022 first-round draft picks who are still with their original team, May 1 is the deadline for clubs to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option. Because the Commanders traded Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles, they do not have any decision to make. Nor will they next year, due to the release of Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
Peters no doubt wants to continue building the Commanders’ roster with edge rushers, receiving options, and offensive line help. Last year, he was very active and very effective. He has a lot of salary cap space in 2025, but he has already proven that he is not going to spend recklessly.
That doesn’t mean there will not be a lot of activity. Free agency is right around the corner. Along with the draft, it is the most exciting time of the offseason.