All the Important Dates for the 2023 NFL Offseason

Vikings Part Ways with Longtime Pro Scout
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The 2022 NFL season has officially come to an end, and that means the offseason is now in full swing. With that comes all the chaos of trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft. However, if you find yourself asking, ‘but when does this all happen?’, we’ve got the answer for you. Here are all the important dates for the 2023 NFL offseason.

  • Feb. 21: Franchise tag window opens
  • Feb. 28-March 6: 2023 NFL Scouting Combine
  • March 7: Franchise tag deadline
  • March 7: College Pro Days begin
  • March 13-15: Legal tampering period
  • March 15: New league year officially begins, free agency begins
  • March 26-29: League meetings
  • April 17: OTAs begin
  • April 27-29: 2023 NFL Draft
  • May 1: Fifth-year option deadline
  • May 5-8: Rookie minicamp
  • May 12-15: Rookie minicamp
  • Mid-May (Official date TBD): 2023 NFL regular season schedule release
  • Mid-July: Franchise tag contract negotiation deadline

So, for Vikings fans purposes, which of these dates are the most important? There is some speculation regarding whether or not Minnesota will use a franchise tag in 2023, so there’s potential that the Vikings offseason officially ramps up a little later than other teams that will use a franchise tag (i.e. the Baltimore Ravens with Lamar Jackson).

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Jul 27, 2022; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re a NFL Draft nut (like yours truly), the offseason really gets going at the end of February and into March with the Scouting Combine. Particularly for Minnesota Gophers fans, there are a number of prospects from that program that will be taking place in the event.

We then take a little time off from that area of the offseason until the actual draft begins on April 26th. The Vikings have four picks in this upcoming draft, and they are projected to get another compensatory pick sometime in the fifth round. Because of that, Minnesota may have a slower draft this year than previous, but a lot can change in the next two months.

Vikings Draft
Apr 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys on the clock in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

If the NFL Draft isn’t exactly your cup of tea, then the offseason really ramps up on March 13th when teams can officially begin talking to free agents. Minnesota has multiple big names entering free agency this offseason, and they will likely be very active in that department during 2023.

Then, of course, another big date for the Vikings is May 1st, which happens to be the deadline for when Minnesota can sign Justin Jefferson to his fifth-year option. They will obviously get that deal done, and we actually took a step closer to that happening a few days ago when we found out exactly how much that fifth-year option will be worth.

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Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates the win against the Indianapolis Colts after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. With the win, the Minnesota Vikings clinched the NFC North. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

We already know the Vikings opponents for the 2023 season, but in mid-May we’ll officially find out the order that Minnesota will play against those opponents. The official date is yet to be determined for this event, but it is the final big step (from a fan’s perspective) for this offseason before training camps get going in July.

So, there you have it. That’s the full preview of the NFL offseason, and all the events that will take place in the coming months. This is tracking towards being one of the busier offseason periods in recent Vikings memory, so it will be very interesting to see all the moves that the organization makes. You can be sure that when everything does happen, PurplePTSD will have the news covered.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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