Eagles offseason guide: Key dates for fans to know, from free agency to the draft to opening kickoff

The Eagles season ended early after a wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Now, it’s back to the drawing board. Here are some important offseason dates to know, from the Super Bowl to the start of next season.

The Eagles may be eliminated, but the playoffs will continue with the divisional round on Jan. 17-18, followed by the AFC and NFC championship games on Jan. 25.

One of the two major college football showcase games, the East-West Shrine Bowl in Frisco, Texas features some of the top NFL draft prospects, and hosts scouts, coaches, and executives from all 32 NFL teams.

In addition to the Shrine Bowl, there’s the Senior Bowl, which also draws personnel from across the NFL to Mobile, Ala.

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Since 2023, the NFL has hosted Pro Bowl Games, which features flag football and other skills contests instead of a traditional football game. This year, those games kick off on Feb. 3, and so far five Eagles have been named, almost entirely on the defensive side of the ball. Center Cam Jurgens is the lone offensive player, joining defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun, and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Injuries, players opting out, and Super Bowl restrictions could mean more Eagles players make it.

This year, the Super Bowl, the NFL’s 60th, will take place on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., the home of the 49ers. Bad Bunny is scheduled to be the halftime performer.

Teams can place the franchise tag on players starting Feb. 17 through 4 p.m. on March 3. The Eagles haven’t done this since placing a franchise tag on DeSean Jackson in 2012.

The NFL Scouting Combine will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Top draft prospects have their physical attributes tested, run drills, and conduct interviews with coaches, front office staff, and the media.

Free agency begins on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, the official start of the 2026 season. Teams can begin contract negotiations two days earlier on March 9. However, they may not sign until this day.

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Will there be more discussion centered around banning the Tush Push? This is when those kind of topics will be discussed as owners meet up in Phoenix, Arizona.

Teams with returning head coaches can start their optional workout programs. Meanwhile, teams that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season can start offseason workouts on April 6.

The NFL draft will take place between April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Eagles enter the draft with eight picks: a first-round pick, a second-round pick, two third-round picks, two fourth-round picks, and two fifth-round picks.

Teams will have to decide whether to exercise their fifth-year option on 2023 first-round draft picks. Carter and Nolan Smith are Eagles players who have fifth-year options coming up.

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After he draft, teams will host a three-day minicamp for rookies to welcome the players into the NFL. This year, they can choose between May 1-4 or May 8-11.

In May, the NFL will release the dates of each matchup for the 2026 season. Some game times may be changed throughout the season.

Last year, the Eagles hosted a number of optional workouts before mandatory minicamp. The workouts took place in late May and early June, beginning on May 27.

The team should hold a mandatory minicamp some time in June. Las year, the team hosted a one-day mandatory minicamp on June 10.

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There’s no official date for the start of Eagles training camp. Last season, camp began on July 22 and the team hosted an open practice at Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 10.

Teams will get their first taste of action in the first week of August with the start of the NFL preseason as they prepare for the next step of the 2026 season …

Although we won’t know who the team will be competing against until May, the Eagles will have a chance to start the season on a high note after an early playoff exit as defending Super Bowl champions.