Upcoming important 2016 NFL dates:

January 16-17
*Divisional playoffs

January 23
*East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
*NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, StubHub Center, Carson, California

January 24
*AFC and NFC Championship games

January 30
*Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

January 31
*Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii

February 7
*Super Bowl 50, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

February 8
*Waiver system begins for 2016

February 13
*NFL Regional Combines, Houston Texans Methodist Training Facility, Houston, Texas

February 16
*First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players

February 20
*NFL Regional Combines, Arizona Cardinals Training Facility, Phoenix, Arizona

February 23-29
*NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

February 27
*NFL Regional Combines, Baltimore Ravens Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Maryland

March 1
*Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players

March 5
*NFL Regional Combines, Minnesota Vikings Training Facility Max Winter Park, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

March 7-9
*Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2015 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9.

March 9
*Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2016 on all players who have option clauses in their 2015 contracts.

*Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

*Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2016 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.

*All 2015 player contracts expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

*The 2016 league year and free agency period begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

*The first day of the 2016 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9.

*Trading period for 2016 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2015 contracts.

March 12
*NFL Regional Combines, New Orleans Saints Training Facility, Metairie, Louisiana

April 18
*Offseason workout program begins.

April 22
*Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets

April 28-30
*2016 NFL Draft, Chicago

April 30
*After the final selection in the Draft has been made, clubs may begin signing Undrafted Free Agents who were eligible for the 2016 Draft.

May 6-9
*First weekend after the NFL Draft: clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 13-16
*Second weekend after the NFL Draft: clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

June 19-25
*Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio

July 15
*At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2016 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game.

Mid-July
Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies and first-year players beginning seven days prior to the club's earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players.

Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club's preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club's first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.

Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club's preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players.

A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a Club's roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who join the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.

July 22
Signing Period ends for unrestricted Free Agents to whom a "May 10 Tender" was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.)

*Signing Period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.