Seahawks news for Tuesday: Important offseason dates

The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the offseason with a lot of potentially great possibilities. The team has a good amount of cap room and a lot of high draft picks. If all goes well for Seattle, the roster could possibly be built into a contender by 2024.

Of course, the flip side would be if general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll make some disastrous decisions the team could be further away from making a Super Bowl than they are currently. Last year’s rookie draft was a grand success, but this year’s draft needs to be one too. Last offseason, the Seahawks signed Uchenna Nwosu. This offseason they need to sign another player of that caliber (or two!).

By the first part of May, all the answers to the implied questions above should be answered. Free agency will have come and gone. So will have the 2023 NFL draft. Here are the important dates to know for the Seahawks this offseason.

Dates to know for the Seahawks and the NFL for the 2023 offseason

February 21st through March 7th

These are the dates that teams can decide whether they want to franchise tag a player or not. Teams could also place the transition tag on a player. The Seahawks, of course, have a potentially franchise-changing decision on whether to franchise-tag quarterback Geno Smith.

February 28th through March 6th

This is when the NFL combine is held. As almost always, the combine will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The combine always produces great risers as players will run as unexpectedly high rates of speed or leap entire buildings.

March 13th through the 15th

The fun begins at 12 pm ET on the 13th! Teams are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents. If a player doesn’t have an agent, they can talk directly with the front office, but not the head coach, of a perspective team. No player can officially sign a deal with a new team until 4 pm ET on the 15th, though.

March 15th is the beginning of the new fiscal season for the league. Teams have to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents prior to 4 pm ET on this date. Penny Hart and Tanner Muse are two Seahawks that are RFAs. RFAs have to sign their offers by April 21st.

March 26th through the 29th

Annual league meeting time! Woo-hoo! A bunch of rich people will sit around and come up with some new rules. Fun!

April 17th

This is the date that Seattle can begin some offseason workout programs with no tackling. Teams with new head coaches can begin these programs on April 3rd. Seattle, of course, has Pete Carroll as the coach for as long as he wants to remain coach.

April 27th through the 29th

These dates are when the 2023 NFL draft will take place. Seattle currently has two first-round picks on day one, three on day two, and four on day three. Basically, this should be a fun draft to watch if you are a Seahawks fan.

May 1st

This is the deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year options on former first-round picks. Seattle has a decision to make on linebacker Jordyn Brooks for his 2024 season. He will get paid a bit over $12 million if Seattle uses the option.

May 5th through the 8th or 12th through the 15th

Teams can use one set of these dates for rookie minicamps. Last rookie minicamp was the first time 12s got to see players like Tariq Woolen and Ken Walker III in a Seattle uniform. It will be exciting to see who takes part in Seattle’s rookie minicamp this offseason.