When does free agency begin?

The free agency signing period begins on Wednesday, March 11 at 1 p.m. PT. This is also when trades can be made as it's the beginning of the new league year.

However, the league has a "legal tampering" period from Monday, March 9 at 9 a.m. PT until Wednesday, March 11 at 12:59 p.m. PT where teams can engage in contract negotiations with agents of players who are pending unrestricted free agents. The two-day negotiating period applies only to prospective unrestricted free agents. This is often the time that national media outlets will report on which players plan to sign with certain teams, but nothing is official yet.

Who are the Raiders' pending free agents?

The Raiders have 24 players who will become free agents. Of those 24, 18 are unrestricted free agents, two are restricted free agents and four are exclusive rights free agents.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Restricted Free Agents

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

What are the categories of free agents?

An unrestricted free agent is any player with four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are free to negotiate and sign with any team.

A restricted free agent is a player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. RFAs are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them a qualifying offer that can come with the right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation.

An exclusive rights free agent is a player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If the player's original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum (based on his credited seasons), the player cannot negotiate with other teams.

What is an accrued season?

An accrued season is when a player is on a club's active/inactive roster, reserve/injured list or reserve/physically unable to perform list for six or more regular season games.

What is the 2026 salary cap?

The salary cap for each club is $301.2 million. According to Spotrac, the Raiders have an estimated $83 million in cap space available, as of March 6.

When must teams be under the salary cap?

Teams must be in compliance with the salary cap at the start of the new league year, which begins at 1 p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 11.

What are the Raiders' positions of need?

Per NFL.com, the Raiders will likely be in the market for QB, OL, WR, CB and DE in both free agency and the draft.

How can I follow all of the Raiders' free agency moves?

Bookmark Raiders.com's Free Agent Tracker to check in on the latest transactions and download the Raiders app for notifications and more.