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FEBRUARY 13th – As of today, teams are allowed to start releasing players without any repercussion on the 2022 Salary Cap. So, teams are now able to start making moves with the aim of improving their Salary Cap for 2023. All veteran players with more than four (4) accrued seasons are immediately free agents and not subject to waivers. All non-vested veterans (i.e. less than four (4) accrued seasons) are subject to waivers. If they clear waivers, they immediately become free agents and are free to sign a contract at any time (even if before March 15th).
With the new league year set to commence on March 15th, expect the Ravens (and most teams) to start making moves at some point in early March.
FEBRUARY 28TH – MARCH 6th – NFL Draft Combine.
LATE FEBRUARY/EARLY MARCH – The date that the NFL has announcement the list of Compensatory Draft picks have varied over the years from the Friday of the NFL Combine to more recently, just before the new league year (March 10th in 2020 and 2021 and March 15th in 2022). Unfortunately, for the Ravens this date isn’t important in 2023 as, for the first time since 2010, the Ravens are not expected to receive any Comp picks this year.
FEBRUARY 21st – MARCH 7th – As of February 21st, teams can begin designating pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) with the Franchise or Transition Tag. If a team wants to use either Tag, they must do so by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 7th.
(LAMAR.)
MARCH 13th – The “legal tampering” window opens. As of March 13th at Noon, teams and pending UFAs can start discussing contract offers and terms with potential free agents, though a contract cannot be agreed upon (*wink-wink*) until March 15th.
MARCH 15th – At 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 15th, the 2023 league year begins:
Teams must have submitted tender offers to all of their Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) and Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) who they want to retain.
Teams must exercise all 2023 contract options tied to the first day of the league year.
Free agency begins for Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) and Restricted Free Agents (RFAs)
The trading period begins. Any trades agreed to before this date can now be officially consummated.
All teams must be under the Salary Cap and the Rule of 51 Cap computation begins.
The 2023 Salary Cap has officially been set at $224.8M. The Ravens presently have around 27.7M in Cap space. This number will obviously change between now and March 15th as the Ravens make other moves – RFA tenders, signing, re-signings, restructures and/or contract extensions – aimed at creating additional Cap space.
MARCH 19th – 5th Day of League Year – if on the Ravens’ roster at 4:00 pm on March 19th, the following contract triggers hit:
PK Justin Tucker’s 2023 $1.25M base salary becomes fully guaranteed.
S Chuck Clark’s $1.161M Roster Bonus is due.
DT Calais Campbell’s $2M Roster Bonus is due.
$3.15M of CB Marlon Humphries’ $10.5M 2023 base salary becomes fully guaranteed.
S Marcus Williams’ $1.08M 2023 base salary becomes fully guaranteed.
S Marcus Williams’ 2026 Option Year exercised.
APRIL 21st – The deadline for teams to sign RFAs to an offer sheet. If another team signs a RFA to an offer sheet, the player’s present team has five days to match that offer or potentially (depending on the tender given to the play) receive draft pick compensation if they decline to match. With the draft starting on April 28th, the deadline to sign a player to an offer sheet and allow for the required five-day match period is April 21st.
ARPIL 27th-29th – The NFL Draft, to be held in Las Vegas this year.
The Ravens will have the 23rd overall pick in the first round (though will pick 22nd due to the Dolphins forfeiting the 21st overall pick) and are expected to only have five total picks in the 2023 draft. They presently have their 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Round picks. The Ravens traded their own 2nd and New England’s 5th (acquired in the 2022 trade of CB Shaun Wade) to Chicago for LB Roquan Smith and also traded their 7th as part of the 2022 trade of G Ben Bredeson to the New Your Giants.
MAY 1st – May 1st is the CBA-mandated date (Monday after the NFL draft) by which 5th Year Options must be exercised for 4th year players who were drafted in the 1st round. For the Ravens, this would be the deadline to exercise the 5th Year Option for LB Patrick Queen. Recently, General Manager Eric DeCosta was non-committal about Queen’s option, but the expectation is that the Ravens will exercise the option to keep Queen for the 2024 season.
MAY 1st – The “May 1st Tender” date. This date, which was moved forward from June 1st a couple of years ago, is essentially the last date that the signing or losing of a free agent will count toward the Compensatory Draft pick calculation. The May 1st Tender is also a way a team can potentially obtain exclusive negotiating rights with a player later in the summer (after July 22nd). It also provides extended Comp pick eligibility if the player is tendered a contract of at least 110% of his prior year’s compensation by May 1st. Otherwise, if the player is not given the Tender, he no longer counts toward the Comp pick formula and the team does not gain any special negotiating advantage later in the off season.
