With the 2022 offseason coming to a close, the NFL has begun preparations for next year’s offseason. The league confirmed Tuesday that the 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City from April 27-29. The new league year will begin on Wednesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET, and teams will be able to designate franchise and transition tags from Feb. 21 through March 7.Â
While plans for next offseason are taking shape, there are several key upcoming dates on the NFL calendar that will impact the 2022 season. Teams have until July 15 at 4 p.m. to come to terms on a long-term contract for players who have been franchise tagged. One notable player who is surely eying this date is Bengals safety Jessie Bates III, who has made it clear he wants a new deal before the start of the 2022 season. If Bates does not sign an extension, he has until 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 to sign his franchise tag or he will miss the remainder of the season.Â
Teams can begin training camp in mid-July, with the preseason schedule beginning Aug. 4 with the playing of the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. This year’s game will pit the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jaguars will see their first former player inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer with the induction of former offensive tackle Tony Boselli. The Raiders will celebrate the induction of former receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion Cliff Branch.Â
The final games of the 2022 preseason will be played Aug. 28. Teams will then have to cut their roster down to 53 players by 4 p.m. on Aug. 30. Team can continue to conduct training camp practices through Sept. 4, with the regular season officially starting the following day.Â
The league’s 103rd regular season will begin on Thursday, Sept. 8, when the defending champion Rams welcome the Buffalo Bills to Los Angeles for a prime time showdown. The regular season will run through Jan. 8 with the playoffs starting Jan. 15. Super Bowl LVII will take place inside State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 12.Â