Super Bowl LVII is in the books, so all our attention is focusing on the New Orleans Saints offseason. And there’s a lot of ground to cover between the 2023 NFL draft, a busy free agency signing period, and more events for the offseason calendar. Saints fans will have their hands full keeping up with all the goings-on with their team as it searches for a new quarterback and a return to the playoffs amid a two-year postseason drought.
Here’s a quick reference for all of the dates to circle on your calendar as New Orleans gears up for another exciting season of football:
Feb. 12: Super Bowl LVII
Props to the Kansas City Chiefs for defeating the Philadelphia Eagles by a 38-35 margin in Super Bowl LVII.
Feb. 13: NFL waiver period begins
All players with fewer than four years of experience will now be subject to the waiver wire, with claim priority determined by the initial NFL draft order. The Saints are tenth, so they’re positioned well to claim any players they’re interested in.
Feb. 15: Raiders' deadline to release Derek Carr
The Las Vegas Raiders must release quarterback Derek Carr by this deadline or else take on more than $40 million in guarantees, and all signs point to them doing just that. Carr has been the face of their franchise for nine years but head coach Josh McDaniels wants to go in a new direction. Carr visited the Saints in New Orleans for two days last week and they’re expected to be suitors once he is a free agent.
March 2-5: NFL scouting combine begins
The Saints will descend on Indianapolis with the rest of the NFL for a gauntlet of draft prospect workouts, interviews, and medical exams. This is also a hotbed of pre-free agency activity as player agents and team executives begin to meet in-person and gauge interest in cutting a deal.
March 7: College pro day circuit begins
Colleges around the country will host scouts, coaches, and team executives for pro days as draft prospects go through athletic timing drills, strength tests, and brief interviews with NFL personnel.
March 7: Franchise tag deadline
Teams have up until a week before free agency to tag a player with the franchise or transition designation, securing a one-year contract at a top-of-market price point (unless another team offers a long-term deal, which they’ll have an opportunity to match). The Saints likely will not use the tag this year between salary cap constraints and a lack of candidates. They most recently tagged free safety Marcus Williams in 2021, though he walked away a year later.
March 7-April 19: Draft prospects can visit team facilities
Up to 30 draft prospects may visit the Saints in New Orleans at their Metairie training facility, and only some of those private meetings may be reported. Players here often go through team-specific workouts and cognitive learning exercises to help fill out their scouting reports.
March 13-15: Free agency legal tampering period opens
This is the first time the Saints can talk shop with pending free agents from other teams, but no deals can be signed yet — only agreed to. And we’ve seen one party or the other back out of these handshake agreements before.
March 15: Free agency signing period begins
This is also the start of the new league year, meaning trades that have previously been agreed to can be completed and pens put to paper on contracts with free agents. Some of the Saints’ top free agents headed for the market: tight end Juwan Johnson (restricted), linebacker Kaden Elliss, and defensive linemen David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport.
March 26-29: NFL ownership spring meetings
League owners will gather to vote on rules changes, the sale of other teams, and handle other official NFL business.
April 17: Offsesaon workouts begin
Teams with new coaches will begin offseason workouts as early as April 3, but second-year coach Dennis Allen will convene his team in mid-April.
April 21: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
Restricted free agents can be retained on one-year tenders that clock in above the league’s minimum salary, and are fully guaranteed. They can also be given an offer sheet by another team that the Saints can choose to match. Tight end Juwan Johnson is the most notable RFA for New Orleans this year, but other players with this status include punter Blake Gillikin, wide receiver Marquez Callaway, and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach.
April 27-29: 2023 NFL draft
The Saints are currently scheduled to pick at No. 29 overall in Round 1, having gotten it in a trade with the Denver Broncos (who acquired it from the Miami Dolphins, who had received it from the San Francisco 49ers). This year’s draft is held in Kansas City.
May 1: Deadline for teams to pick up fith-year options
Cesar Ruiz came on strong in his third year with the Saints, and he’s looking to build on that momentum in the fall. New Orleans must decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option which guarantees him more than $14 million in 2024, or to risk letting him test free agency after the 2023 season. The Saints have chosen to use the fifth-year option on all of their former first-round picks dating back to wide receiver Brandin Cooks in 2013.
May 5-8 or May 12-15: Rookie minicamp
Typically scheduled for the first or second weekend after the NFL draft, this is an opportunity for the Saints to get an early look at their new rookie class and try out free agents who are still looking for work. The final dates will be announced later.
May: 2023 NFL schedule release
We already know who the Saints will be playing, and where (unless they’re chosen as the “away” team for the New England Patriots game in Germany). Times and dates will be announced in May.
July 15: Extension deadline for franchise-tagged players
Any players who received the franchise tag in March must sign an extension by July 15 or else play on the tag in 2023.
Late July: Training camp begins
The exact date will be announced later, but the Saints usually kick off training camp in late July. Most practices will be open to the media and a few will offer entrance to fans as spectators. After that, we’re off and running to the preseason and Week 1 of the regular season.
