Going Forward - The NFL Preseason Schedule

This is the official NFL Preseason Schedule (reprinted). I look at this and I am drawn to August 31 when the teams cut their rosters to 75 and September 4 when teams make further cuts to 53. I wonder what kind of shape the Texans team will be taking. Will late-round draft picks Holliday and Dickerson be panning out, making Andre Davis expendable? I think of other positions where there are too many players right now and you know someone is on the bubble, such as CB and RB. Notice the Rookie Symposium starts this weekend in Carlsbad, CA.

June 27-30 — Rookie Symposium, LaCosta Hotel and Conference Center, Carlsbad, Ca. Attendance is mandatory for all drafted Rookies. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.

July 15 — Supplemental Draft

July 15 — Deadline at 4 p.m., New York time, for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multi-year contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his Prior Club for the 2010 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the Club’s last regular season game.

July 22 — Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. Old Club has exclusive negotiating rights to these players until the Tuesday after the 10th regular season weekend.

Late July — Preseason training camps open. Clubs not permitted to open official preseason camp earlier than July 5. Veteran players cannot be required to report earlier than 15 days prior to club’s first preseason game or July 15, whichever is later. The July 15 date is not applicable to clubs playing five preseason games. Except for quarterbacks and "injured" players, veterans cannot participate in any organized football activity for 10 days prior to mandatory reporting date.

July 26 — Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a June 1 tender was made by Old Club. Old Club has exclusive negotiating rights to these players until the Tuesday after the 10th regular season weekend.

July 31 — During the two weekends preceding the first full weekend of preseason games, waivers requested on Friday will expire at 4 p.m., New York time, on Saturday; waivers requested on Saturday will expire at 4 p.m., New York time, on Sunday; and waivers requested on Sunday will expire at 4 p.m., New York time, on Monday.

August 6-8 — Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.

August 8 — Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio (Cincinnati vs. Dallas).

August 10 — Deadline for players under contract to report to earn a season of free agency credit.

August 12-16 — First Preseason Weekend.

August 13 —If a Drafted Rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he may not be traded to any other club in 2010.

August 14-18 — Each Club has until five days prior to its second preseason game to provide any tendered but unsigned Exclusive Rights Player or Restricted Free Agent with written notice of the Club’s intent to place the player on the Exempt List if the player fails to report at least the day before the Club’s second preseason game. Such notice must also be sent to the NFLPA. Once such notice has been provided, the Club must place the player on the Exempt List. While on the Exempt List, the player will not be entitled to compensation for up to three regular-season games, depending upon the date the player reports to the Club. Any such player who fails to report prior to the deadline will be ineligible to play or receive compensation for at least three games (preseason or regular season) from the time that he reports.

August 19-23 — Second Preseason Weekend.

August 26-29 — Third Preseason Weekend.

August 31 — Roster cut-down to maximum of 75 players on Active List prior to 4 p.m., New York time.

September 1 — All tryouts on this date and for the remainder of the season must be reported to the League office.

September 2 — Fourth Preseason Weekend.

September 4 — Roster cut-down to maximum of 53 players on Active/Inactive List prior to 6 p.m., New York time. Clubs may dress minimum of 42 and maximum of 45 players and Third Quarterback for each regular season and postseason game.

September 4 — Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must take one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; ask waivers; terminate; trade; or continue to count him on Active List.

September 5 — Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12 noon, New York time.

September 5 — Beginning at 12 noon, New York time, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of eight players by signing free agents who do not have an accrued season of free agency credit or who were on the 45-player Active List for less than nine regular season games during each of any Accrued Seasons. A player cannot participate on the Practice Squad for more than three seasons.

September 9-13 — Regular Season opens.