The Indianapolis Colts are officially into the month of March with the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium this week.
We outlined the overarching view of the important dates of the offseason but now we’ll take a focused view on just the month of March.
After hiring Shane Steichen as the new head coach, he has been busy filling out the coaching staff. The Colts can’t make too many moves outside of signing their own pending free agents until the middle of the month arrives.
Here’s a quick look at the important offseason dates for the Colts during the month of March.
March 1-6
- NFL Scouting Combine (Indianapolis, IN)
March 7
- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate franchise or transition players.
- Draft-eligible facility visits begin (top-30 visits) and run through April 19.
- Video or telephone interviews with draft-eligible players begin and run through April 26.
March 13
- Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 15 (aka “Legal Tampering Period”)
March 15
- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2022 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
- Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2023 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
- All 2022 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The 2023 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
- The first day of the 2022 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time.
- Trading period for 2023 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after the expiration of all 2022 contracts. (Trades can be agreed upon before then but aren’t official until this time).
March 26-29
- Annual League Meeting (The Biltmore, Phoenix, AZ)
March Pro Days
March 7: Indiana
March 9: Harvard, Nevada
March 10: Illinois, Rice
March 13: Oregon State, South Carolina, Western Michigan
March 14: Northwestern, Oregon
March 15: Georgia, Louisiana, Mercer, Michigan State, Minnesota, UCLA
March 17: Michigan
March 20: Bowling Green, Iowa, James Madison, Syracuse, Toledo
March 21: Maine, Ohio, Princeton
March 22: Alabama-Birmingham, Bryant, Connecticut, Ohio State, SMU, Stanford, Temple, Texas-San Antonio, Weber State
March 23: Alabama, Cincinnati, Holy Cross, Stephen F. Austin, Utah, William & Mary, Wisconsin, Yale
March 24: Boston College, Houston, Kentucky, Missouri, Old Dominion, San Jose State
March 27: Boise State, Memphis, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Sam Houston State, West Virginia
March 28: Arkansas State, North Carolina State, North Dakota State, Texas A&M, Washington State, Vanderbilt
March 29: Arkansas, Incarnate Word, LSU, Maryland, North Dakota State, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh, Texas Tech, Washington, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky
March 30: Appalachian State, Oklahoma, TCU
March 31: Florida State, Kansas, Kansas State
