UPDATE: Important dates for the Seahawks in the 2024 offseason

The NFL offseason officially began after the San Francisco 49ers were heartbrokenly defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. For Seattle Seahawks supporters, this will mark the first time since 2009 that the team has gone through an offseason under the guidance of a coach other than Pete Carroll.

Although there is a great deal of mystery about what the following weeks and months may hold in light of Mike Macdonald’s hiring, there are a few important dates that are known. The following are a some of the Seahawks’ more crucial dates as they get ready for the 2024 season:

• February 16: Vesting salary guarantees for Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, Dre’Mont Jones and Uchenna Nwosu
• February 20: First day for teams to apply Franchise or Transition tag
• February 26 – March 4: NFL Combine
• March 5 (4 pm New York time): Last day for teams to apply Franchise or Transition tag
• March 11 (12 noon, New York time): Legal tampering period begins for players on expiring contracts
• March 13: The $3.635M base salary of Jason Myers becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster
• March 13 (4 pm New York time): 2024 NFL League Year begins, and teams can officially sign free agents, make trades and release players with a post-June 1 designation
• March 16: Bryan Mone due a $500k roster bonus if he is on the 90-man roster
• March 18: Geno Smith due a $9.6M roster bonus if he is on the 90-man roster
• April 1: The first date that teams which hired a new head coach are able to begin Phase I of the offseason program
• April 19: The last date a restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with another club
• April 25 – April 27: 2024 NFL Draft
• May 2: Date by which teams can use their first-round 2021 choices’ fifth-year option. As the Seahawks surrendered their 2021 first-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Jamal Adams, this is currently irrelevant. It would become significant, though, if Schneider traded for a first-round selection in 2021 whose option hasn’t been accepted or rejected by May 2. It is advisable to note that the Dallas Cowboys have until May 2 to decide whether to pick Trey Lance and Micah Parsons’ fifth-year options. In order to move up for Lance, the Cowboys sold one of their picks to the Niners for Parsons, and Lance was then dealt to Dallas.
• May 8 or May 9: The 2024 NFL schedule is likely to be released
• Sometime in late May or June: Mandatory minicamp during Phase III of the offseason program
• Week of July 22: Seahawks report for training camp, unless they are selected to play in the Hall of Fame Game

That is the schedule for the upcoming five months or so. Settle into your office chair and get ready to help Field Gulls fans navigate an unpredictable offseason.