With the offseason having gotten underway for the Cleveland Browns, it's time to take a step back and look at when the team is going to be most active again since finishing the season 3-14.
The NFL Draft is coming up in April, and there, the Browns have the second overall pick. They have a shot to draft a generationally great player there, so it should be interesting to see what they do with that pick. Aside from the draft, trades are likely to be made to clear up cap space as the team heads into free agency.
Free agency period in the NFL is a specific window where players can pick and choose which teams to speak with about potential deals and informally agree to them before putting actual pen to paper.
So, here are some important dates and times to keep in mind as the Browns look ahead to the NFL after the postseason is wrapped.
February 18 - March 4: Franchise tag window opens and closes
For teams looking to play a franchise tag on a player or players, they have to do so between the dates of February 18 and March 4. That deadline ends at 4 p.m. EST. A player who is about to become an unrestricted free agent can get the tag placed on them. As of now, the Browns have no players with a franchise tag as they literally couldn't afford to do so in 2024.
Read more: Aaron Jones and 3 potential replacements to Nick Chubb in free agency
There are three tags the Browns can use on a player like Nick Chubb set to become an unrestricted free agent:
1. Non-exclusive franchise tag: This is the most common tag used. It's basically added to say to a player, we do not want you negotiating with anyone else in free agency, and we're going to offer you a one-year offer that's the average of the top five salaries at the player's position over the last five years or 120 percent of the player's previous salary, whichever is greater.
Another team can still negotiate with and sign this player, but it'd come at a steep price: two first round picks. And, the tagging team has the chance to match any offer.
2. Exclusive franchise tag: This tag is used by a team on their absolute star players usually. It is unlike the non-exclusive tag in name - if a player receives this designation, then they cannot negotiate with any other teams, and the tagging team will offer the save top five average of salaries over the last five years or 120 percent of the player's previous salary, whichever is greater.
3. Transition tag: This tag is usually reserved for players who are good, but not greatly impactful, to a team's success. It averages the salaries of the top ten players at their position, and it gives the tagging team the right to refuse to match an offer extended to the tagged player by another team.
The Browns could use the tag on Chubb, but are likely to come to an agreement with him prior to that happening. Outside of him, they're more valuable players like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward are signed through 2025, so there's no way to tag them.
March 10: Tampering window opens
This window means that the Browns can begin to speak with players like Chubb about a new deal, but can't execute one just yet. The window closes at 3:59 E.S.T. on March 12. Players can come to a verbal agreement with a team in this period, but can't actually sign the contract.
Outside of Chubb, the Browns have 29 other players hitting free agency - many of which won't be resigned or pursued by Cleveland.
March 12: Free agency starts
On March 12 at 4 P.M. E.S.T., free agency technically begins in actuality, and players can execute new deals with their teams.