For the Buffalo Bills, the moves the team make this offseason will ultimately determine the success of the Bills next year and distant future.
Buffalo has been close to the Super Bowl for the past several seasons. This offseason they may be the one that puts the team over the edge.
General manager Brandon Beane is entering another offseason with the Bills, this time with Joe Brady as head coach. Beane will have plenty of crucial decisions to make regarding roster construction while working the salary cap.
Beane will have free agency and the 2026 NFL draft to improve the roster, but there's much more than that in an NFL offseason. Salary cap decisions, potential trades, and more are en route.
With that, here is a quick list of important offseason dates and deadlines upcoming for Bills fans to know:
- First day NFL teams can franchise and transition tag players
- Feb. 23-March 2: 2026 NFL Scouting Combine (Indianapolis)
- March 3 (4 p.m.): Franchise/transition tag deadline
- March 9-11: NFL free agency negotiations begin
- March 11: (4 p.m.): Free agency begins (new deals, trades become official)
- March 29-April 2: NFL owners meetings (Phoenix)
- April 6: Mandatory minicamp for NFL teams with new coaches
- April 17: Restricted free agent (RFA) signing dealine
- April 20: Returning NFL head coaches mandatory minicamps begin
- April 23-25: 2026 NFL draft (Pittsburgh)
- May 1: Fifth-round option deadline
- May 1-4/ May 8-11: NFL teams hold rookie minicamp
- May/ June: NFL teams hold OTAs
- July 15: Deadline to sign franchise tagged players to long-term deal
- Mid-late July: 2026 NFL training camps begin
Bills Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Important 2026 NFL offseason dates for Bills fans to know