Although the Steelers off-season
began weeks ago, the 2018 NFL season has now officially concluded.
Unfortunately, this means we now have no meaningful football to look forward to
for more than half a year. With various off-season events sprinkled over the
next several months, we can officially count down the number of days to key
off-season dates.
0 DAYS: WAIVERS
Today is the first day of the implementation of the waiver
system for 2019. Players can now be waived in order to enter free agency for
next year.
15 DAYS:
FRANCHISE/TRANSITION TAG
Beginning on February 19, 2019 teams are able to designate a
player with the franchise or transition tag. Teams have two weeks (until 4 PM
on March 5, 2019) until the deadline for designation.
22 DAYS: SCOUTING
COMBINE
The NFL scouting combine begins on February 26, 2019 in
Indianapolis. It runs for a week until March 4.
35 DAYS: FREE
AGENT NEGOTIATION
For the three days leading up to when free agency officially
begins, teams may begin negotiating with players and agents for free-agent
signings on March 11, 2019.
37 DAYS: FREE
AGENCY
At 4 PM on March 13, 2019, teams may officially sign
free-agent players to contracts for the upcoming season. This is also the
deadline for teams to exercise options on players, submit restricted free agent
and exclusive rights tenders, and for teams to be under the 2019 salary cap.
Teams may also trade players once the 4 PM deadline has passed.
70 DAYS: OFFSEASON
WORKOUTS
April 15, 2019 is the first day teams with returning head
coaches can begin their offseason workout program.
~73 DAYS: NFL
SCHEDULE RELEASE
It isn’t usually announced until just before it occurs, but
the general release date for the NFL schedule is about a week before the draft.
80 DAYS: NFL DRAFT
The 2019 NFL draft will be held in Nashville, Tennessee
beginning on April 25.
161 DAYS: FRANCHISE TAG SIGNING
Any player who was designated with a franchise tag must have
a signed contract by 4 PM on July 15, 2019. After this date, the player can
only play under the tag for the season.
168 DAYS:
TRANSITION TAG SIGNING
Any player who is designated with the transition tag must
have a signed contract from another club by 4 PM on July 22, 2019. After this
date, only the team who issued the tag has exclusive negotiating rights.
~170 DAYS:
TRAINING CAMP
Although with the Steelers will not officially announce the
official start date of training camp until the preseason schedule is set, they
generally report the middle of the final week of July.
178 DAYS: HALL OF
FAME GAME
Hopefully this date is insignificant to the Steelers and
they are not forced to play a fifth preseason game. But the next time NFL
players face off on the field will be in the Hall of Fame game on August 1,
2019.
185-188 DAYS: FIRST
PRESEASON GAME
Assuming the Steelers are not stuck playing in the Hall of
Fame game, their first preseason game will lie somewhere between Thursday,
August 8 and Sunday, August 11, 2019.
206 DAYS: LAST
PRESEASON GAME
If the NFL follows their typical schedule, the final
preseason games for all teams will be on Thursday, August 29, 2019.
208 DAYS: 53-MAN
ROSTERS
By 4 PM on Saturday, August 31, teams will have to make
their final cuts in order to determine the 53-man roster.
213 DAYS: NFL
KICKOFF GAME
Thursday, September 5, 2019 will be the first game of the
NFL season. Barring a horrendous scheduling conflict much like that in 2013,
the game will be played in New England. The most likely opponent for the game
will either be Pittsburgh, Dallas, Kansas City, or possibly even Cleveland
being an up-and-coming team.
363 DAYS: SUPER BOWL LIV
Super Bowl LIV is scheduled to be played on February 2, 2020
in Miami, Florida. Get your reservations booked now Steelers fans!
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