Curtis Allen wrote this detailed guest post, noting all of the important dates for the 2024 off-season…

Now until March 13

The Seahawks Can Negotiate Trades and Release Players

They can talk with teams about trading players, come to an agreement and even leak the news.  Trades will become official when the new league year starts March 13.

NFL teams can process a max of two post-June 1 releases before June 1 comes.  They process March 13, but there is nothing keeping them from leaking the news and letting the player start looking at his options.

A big key point that often goes forgotten by fans on this specific cut:  The player (and his cap hit) technically stays on the roster until after June 1.  A post-June 1 cut often gives teams more cap room than a regular cut but the tradeoff is they do not have access to that cap room until the summertime.

Straight releases can be done at this time as well.  

The Seahawks Have a Window to Exclusively Negotiate with their Unrestricted Free Agents

This is a key period for the Seahawks.  If they have designs on keeping some of their free agents, now is the time to get some intel on the market, initiate contract negotiations and plan accordingly.

The Seahawks have some key Unrestricted Free Agents they can exclusively talk to in this window:

Offense:  Drew Lock, Noah Fant, Colby Parkinson, Damien Lewis

Defense:  Leonard Williams, Jordyn Brooks, Devin Bush, Bobby Wagner

There are other UFA’s like Deejay Dallas, Evan Brown and Mario Edwards Jr but these players are most likely not a top priority (unless they are eager to sign an extremely friendly contract, that is).

March 10:  Exclusive Window for Unrestricted Free Agents Closes

I do not need to tell you; a lot of value may be in the balance here.  Leonard Williams not being signed by this date opens the door to him signing elsewhere and as a result the Seahawks will have paid an exorbitant price in a trade to rent his services for 10 games.

March 11-13: The Legal Tampering Window Opens

Teams and players can meet and negotiate contracts.  With very little cap room, the Seahawks will likely either be very quiet or strike some low-level deals at this period.

However, a possibility exists that the team can sign a player and make a release or trade that opens the cap to cover that signing before the filing deadline.

March 13 1pm PST: The New League Year Begins

Trades, free agent signings and releases are processed by the league.

The Seahawks must be under the salary cap at this point.

It is important because another big event happens today…

Deadline to Tender Restricted Free Agents and Exclusive-Rights Free Agents

This needs to happen on this day and the Seahawks need the relevant cap room to have these tenders honored.

Simply put, tendering players keeps them from being unrestricted free agents, able to sign with any team without the Seahawks getting a chance for compensation.

Restricted Free Agents available to tender are Darrell Taylor and Michael Jackson.  Those will be two very interesting decisions.  Tackle Jake Curhan and Linebacker John Rhattigan are also RFA’s.

Keep in mind that RFA tenders are non-guaranteed.  They can rescind the tender and let the player hit free agency.  The biggest downside is they need cap space to hold those tenders.  Rescinding the tag opens that cap room back up.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents also need to be tendered and there will be some interesting team-building choices made there as well.  Defensive Lineman Myles Adams can be kept, as well as Offensive Linemen McLendon Curtis and Raiqwon O’Neal.  Those two were waiver claims and the Seahawks stashed them on their active roster all year in 2023.

March 24-27: League Meeting

Another opportunity to network and feel out trade and draft options among their fellow teams.

April 1:  First Day of Offseason Workouts

The Seahawks get the early workout benefit because they have a new coach.

April 25-27:  The Draft

A prime chance to shape the future of this roster with Schneider as the GM and Macdonald as the coach.  Keep in mind, rookie salaries do not hit the salary cap until their contracts are signed.

June 1:  Players Cut with a Post-June1 Designation Come Off the Roster and the Salary Cap Savings is Realized

Teams like Seattle with little cap room in February and March look forward to this day.  They gain cap space and can make official moves that push the roster forward, like signing their draft picks to contracts and making those late-summer moves that receive little fanfare but can make a real difference in their season.

First Week of the NFL Season

Vested veterans with large non-guaranteed salaries have their 2024 salary number guaranteed.  This would include players such as Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams and Tyler Lockett.

It is going to be a very busy offseason for the team.

Decisions are going to have to be made one after the other.

It is possible that by this time next month, we will have an idea of where the Seahawks are heading at the Quarterback position.  Also, whether they have a real, vested interest in returning some of their top players back to the team in 2024 — and who they will move on from as they reshape the roster.