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Key dates for the Rams' 2020 offseason

Stu Jackson
STAFF WRITER

The offseason is underway for the Los Angeles Rams. Here are the key dates to keep in mind as they prepare for the 2020 season.

January

Jan. 17 - Deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft: College prospects who wish to forego their senior season and turn pro must apply for special eligibility by this date. NFL teams will receive a list of approved players by Jan. 21.

Jan. 18 - East-West Shrine Bowl: Hosted at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, the East-West Shrine Bowl marks the beginning of the all-star circuit for college players and a key evaluation period for each team's personnel department. The annual event claims Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Brett Favre, Gale Sayers, John Elway, Dick Butkus, Roger Staubach, Mike Ditka, Mark Brunell, Troy Vincent and Willie McGinest among its former participants.

Jan. 18 - NFLPA Collegiate Bowl: The all-star game in closest proximity to the Rams' Thousand Oaks facility, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be hosted at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. This is an event that has historically played a role in the Rams' evaluation process leading up to the draft, with linebacker Samson Ebukam (2017) and offensive lineman Jamil Demby (2018) among their finds from it.

Jan. 25 - Senior Bowl: One week later, the Senior Bowl will take place at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. As the name indicates, this event is exclusively for college seniors. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp (2017), offensive lineman Joe Noteboom (2018) and defensive tackle Greg Gaines (2019) are former participants, so this is another game to keep an eye on.

Jan. 26 - NFL Pro Bowl: The NFL Pro Bowl will be played this year at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Rams had two players selected this year: Defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

February

Feb. 3: The NFL waiver system will begin for the 2020 season.

Feb. 24 - March 2: The NFL Scouting Combine will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Feb. 25: Clubs can begin to designate franchise and transition tags.

March

March 10: The deadline for teams to designate franchise and transition tags ends at 1 p.m. PT.

March 16-19: NFL teams are permitted to begin the "legal tampering period" before free agency begins. Teams are allowed to contact and enter contract negotiations with certified agents of players who will be Unrestricted Free Agents.

March 18: The deadline for teams to exercise options for the 2020 season on all players who have option clauses in their contracts is 1 p.m. PT. Teams must also submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation by 1 p.m. PT. Teams must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2019 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit by 1 p.m. PT. The Top 51 Rule goes into effect. This means all teams bust be under the 2020 salary cap by 1 p.m. PT. All 2019 contracts expire and the 2020 league year begins with free agency at 1 p.m. PT. Teams will receive a notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 1 p.m. PT and 8:59:59 p.m. PT. The trading period will also begin at this time.

March 29-April 1: The NFL will host its annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.

April

April 6: Newly hired head coaches may begin their offseason workout programs.

April 17: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.

April 20: Teams with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 23-25: 2020 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada.

April 27: Beginning this date, NFL clubs may request permission to visit with, try out, or sign any player who was under contract to the XFL at the conclusion of the XFL season.

May

May 1-4: Teams may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday-Sunday or Saturday-Monday.

May 5: Deadline for prior club to send “May 5 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.

May 8-11: Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 11: Rookie Football Development Programs begin.

May 14-17: NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited rookies (typically, first- and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.

May 19-20: Spring League Meeting, Marina Del Ray, California.

June

June 1: Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.

June 15: Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

Late June: Rookie Transition Program to be held at individual clubs.

July

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 2020 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 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 rejoin 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 5 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.

July 22: 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.

Information provided by NFL operations.

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https://www.therams.com/news/daily-dose ... -dates-set

Daily Dose: Rams' offseason program dates set

Stu Jackson
STAFF WRITER

Throughout the offseason, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top Rams headlines of the day. Here's a look at what's out there for Wednesday, March 4 about your Los Angeles Rams.

Offseason program dates announced

The Rams will start Phase 1 of their offseason program on April 20.

Rookie minicamp will be held May 8-10.

Phase 2 will begin May 4, while the third and final phase will start May 26.

The club's mandatory veteran minicamp will take place June 15-18.

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