March is perhaps the busiest month of the NFL offseason calendar. The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine just wrapped up, but there are still some important dates on the way soon. The franchise tag deadline, the legal tampering period and the start of the NFL’s free agency period are just a few of the important events that are soon to arrive. There are also some key dates and events specific to the Chiefs, including contract guarantee trigger dates.
Here’s a quick look at the NFL calendar for March and what fans should be aware of over the course of the next month:
March 7: Franchise/transition tag deadline
After two weeks of being able to use the franchise/transition tag, clubs will have some decisions to make on Tuesday, March 7. At 3:00 p.m. CT teams will no longer be able to apply the franchise or transition tag. If the Chiefs haven’t signed Orlando Brown Jr. to a long-term contract extension, they’ll have to use the franchise tag for a second consecutive year if they’re to keep him from hitting the open market.
March 7 - Pro days begin
The college pro day circuit kicks off on Tuesday, March 7, just shortly after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. These will be big for players who weren’t invited to the combine to make an impression on NFL decision-makers.
Here are the pro days two set to kick off the annual cycle:
- Indiana
March 8 - 12: Compensatory draft pick announcement
Around this time of the year, the NFL typically announces their compensatory draft pick selections. The Chiefs are projected to currently receive three compensatory draft picks for 2023.
March 13-15: NFL's legal tampering period
This is the point of the offseason when teams are “legally” permitted to speak to players from opposing teams who are pending free agents. Legally, of course, meaning that the NFL can’t punish teams under their tampering rules during this period. If the Chiefs plan to make a splash in free agency this season, this is when the groundwork for a contract would be laid out. That said, it seems that how things play out for Kansas City with Orlando Brown Jr. and other in-house free agents could dictate how active they are.
March 15: 2023 free agency period, trading period and 2023 league year begin
All unsigned unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents that haven’t been re-signed are officially allowed to sign with other teams on this date at 3:00 p.m. CT. The Chiefs have 20 or so players who currently fall under that umbrella. Most cost-cutting measures that the team takes to get under the 2023 NFL salary cap must be done at this time too. The NFL’s trading period also begins on this date and time, which is an important note given Brett Veach’s history of going out and making trades.
March 17, 19 - Chiefs contract guarantees kick in as early as 3rd day of new league year
The Chiefs have some important contract trigger dates coming up as it relates to restructuring contracts. Here are the three they’ll have to be mindful of (via Over The Cap):
- Patrick Mahomes: $38.9M 2025 roster bonus is fully guaranteed on March 17.
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling: $6.44 million of 2023 salary is fully guaranteed on March 17.
- Frank Clark: $10 million of 2023 salary is fully guaranteed on March 19.
March 26-29 - Annual League Meeting
NFL owners will head to The Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona for the annual league meeting. There they’ll discuss all the juicy business workings of the league, including a competition committee meeting to ratify rules changes for the 2023 NFL season. That includes a discussion about making roughing the passer a reviewable penalty.
