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Everyone has a timeline, so we decided we should get one, too.
We got ours from a pretty good source. It’s the actual hard copy being considered by the NFLPA* Executive Committee and board of player representatives.
Titled “Article 11, Transition Rules for the 2011 League Year,” here’s what the document provides.
Today, the NFL will publish a Free Agency List.
On Tuesday, team facilities will open for voluntary training, conditioning, and classroom instruction.
On Tuesday, trades can begin.
At 10:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, teams may sign drafted rookies, undrafted rookies, and negotiate with (but not sign) their own unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, exclusive-rights players, and franchise players.
Also, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, teams may negotiate with, but not sign or give offer sheets to, other team’s unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, and franchise players.
At 4:01 p.m. ET on Thursday, teams may waive or terminate player contracts.
At 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, teams may renegotiate existing player contracts, sign their own unrestricted free agents, sign their own restricted free agents, and sign their franchise players.
Also at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, teams may sign unrestricted free agents from other teams, restricted free agents from other teams, and franchise players from other teams.
No payment of any kind can be made to any player until the CBA has been ratified by the players.
The 2011 league year will begin no later than August 4. When the 2011 league year begins, teams must be under the salary cap. (Specifically, their highest 51 cap numbers must fit under the cap.)
Thus, look for some teams to possibly go over the projected cap this week, and then to find a way to get under the cap before the official start of the league year.