Tremendous Bowl LIX and the 2024 season are within the books, so it is time to flip the web page to the 2025 offseason.
Listed here are 10 questions (and solutions) concerning the subsequent few months.
1. When does the 2025 NFL league 12 months start?
March 12 at 4 p.m. ET. That is when free brokers can formally signal contracts and trades could be permitted.
2. What are some participant deadlines to look at?
Saints quarterback Derek Carr’s $30M wage turns into totally assured on the third league day, Might 14. (h/t Spotrac)
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has a $10M 2025 roster bonus that turns into assured Might 16.
On that very same day, Browns defensive finish Myles Garrett, who requested a commerce on Feb. 3, will obtain a $5M roster bonus.
Longtime Seahawks vast receiver Tyler Lockett, who acknowledged his murky outlook in Seattle following the common season, may even obtain a good-looking payday Might 16, when his $5.3M roster bonus prompts.
3. Who’re probably the most notable free brokers?
Bengals vast receiver Tee Higgins is arguably the perfect participant in the marketplace. In 2024, he averaged 75.9 receiving yards per sport, the second most in his five-year profession, and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns.
Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner, Chargers exterior linebacker Khalil Mack and Eagles defensive finish Josh Sweat are among the many finest defenders.
Sam Darnold (Vikings) is probably the most noteworthy quarterback, adopted by Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
4. What’s the anticipated 2025 wage cap?
In December, NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that groups have been budgeting for the wage cap to be from $265M to $275M. That low-end estimate may very well be conservative primarily based on salary- cap progress tendencies.
• 2021: $182.5 million
• 2022: $208.2 million (+14.1%)
• 2023: $224.8 million (+8%)
• 2024: $255.4 million (+13.6%)
Over the previous three years, 2023’s eight p.c wage cap spike has been the league’s most minor. If the cap will increase eight p.c once more this season, that will put the 2025 cap at $275.8 million.
5. When and the place is the 2025 NFL Draft?
April 24-26 in Inexperienced Bay. After being in Detroit final April, the draft is on the street for the tenth time after happening in New York from 1965-2014. It can occur over three nights, with the primary spherical on Thursday, April 24.
The 2026 draft is scheduled for Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
6. Who’re this 12 months’s prime prospects?
2024 Heisman winner Colorado cornerback and vast receiver Travis Hunter is the highest participant on most draft large boards, with Penn State defensive finish Abdul Carter additionally receiving consideration.
Hunter’s Colorado teammate, Shedeur Sanders, and Miami’s Cam Ward are the clear prime two quarterbacks and, per many draft consultants, the one ones with first-round grades getting into the pre-draft course of.
7. When will the 2025 schedule be launched?
Since 2020, the league has pushed again the date from mid-April to after the NFL Draft.
Here is when the schedule was launched the previous 5 seasons:
• 2020: Thursday, Might 7
• 2021: Wednesday, Might 12
• 2022: Thursday, Might 12
• 2023: Thursday, Might 11
• 2024: Wednesday, Might 15
Anticipate the schedule to be unveiled across the identical time, with Wednesday, Might 14 or Thursday, Might 15 being the most definitely dates.
8. Who’re Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia’s potential house opponents for the season’s first sport?
Whereas we do not know particular sport instances, the Eagles’ 2025 opponents have already been confirmed.
Philadelphia performs its three NFC East rivals, with the Cowboys and Commanders two of the extra seemingly choices for the Thursday season opener.
The Lions additionally journey to Lincoln Monetary Discipline, making that an attractive choice for the season’s first sport.
A divisional-round rematch towards the Rams can be subsequent on our checklist, adopted by the Broncos and Bears.
So much can change earlier than the schedule is finalized. Nonetheless, as presently constructed, Philadelphia’s two different house opponents, the Giants and Raiders, aren’t enticing sufficient to placed on an enormous stage.
9. What potential trades ought to we anticipate?
Garrett is the most important title after demanding to be traded to a contender. If a commerce occurs, it could seemingly be a post-June 1 transaction, when the Browns would save almost $5M towards the 2025 cap.
Rams vast receiver Cooper Kupp confirmed Los Angeles plans to commerce him this offseason.
On Sunday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the 49ers have permitted vast receiver Deebo Samuel to hunt a commerce.
Cousins can be a candidate to watch earlier than his $10M roster bonus turns into assured.
On Saturday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano reported the Titans may commerce the No. 1 decide of the 2025 NFL Draft and pursue a younger, veteran quarterback in free company.
10. Different important dates to know.
The NFL Scouting Mix is Feb. 25-March 3. The deadline for groups to use the franchise or transition tag is the day following the mix (March 4).
Groups might start negotiating with brokers when the authorized tampering interval begins on March 10, with the annual league assembly three weeks later, from March 30-April 2.
2022 first-round picks have till Might 1 for groups to choose up their 2026 fifth-year choices, whereas July 15 is the deadline for franchise-tagged gamers to comply with a long-term extension.
