The 2027 NFL Scouting Combine is set for March 1–8 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, according to the league’s official 2026-27 calendar. The bigger change sits right after it: the free agency negotiation period opens on March 9, just one day after the combine ends.
That gap spanned a full week in 2026, when the combine ran February 23 to March 2 and the negotiating window did not open until March 9. Next spring, teams will go almost directly from evaluating draft prospects in Indianapolis to talking contracts with the agents of veteran free agents.
The 2027 offseason calendar, in order
- February 14: Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
- February 17 – March 3 (4 p.m. ET): window for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
- March 1–8: NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, with fan access planned for March 4–7.
- March 9 (noon ET) – March 11 (3:59:59 p.m. ET): negotiation period with the certified agents of players set to become unrestricted free agents.
- March 11 (4 p.m. ET): the 2027 league year, free agency signing period and trading period all begin.
- March 21–24: Annual League Meeting in Phoenix.
- April 29 – May 1: NFL Draft in Washington, D.C.
Why the compressed window matters
The franchise-tag deadline of March 3 now falls in the middle of combine week, so tag decisions will be made while general managers, coaches and agents are all in Indianapolis. Many of those agents are already on site for prospect meetings, which has long made the combine an informal hub for early contract conversations.
With the negotiation period starting March 9, the first wave of free agency news is likely to follow the final day of on-field workouts almost immediately. The league’s rules for the two-day window still apply: each club may hold one video or phone call of no longer than one hour with up to five prospective unrestricted free agents, with the player’s agent taking part, and no player can sign with a new club before 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
Indianapolis keeps the combine through 2028
Indianapolis has hosted the combine every year since 1987, and in January the league extended the agreement to cover 2027 and 2028. The setup that keeps it there is the downtown layout, with the Indiana Convention Center, connected hotels and Lucas Oil Stadium letting prospects move quickly between medical exams, interviews, testing and media sessions.
“Indianapolis and the NFL Combine have built a proud legacy together,” Peter O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said when the extension was announced. Visit Indy has pointed to the expanding convention center and new hotel inventory as key reasons the event stayed. The 2025 combine set a record with $9.26 million in economic impact and more than 30,000 visitors.
Fans will be able to register to attend the March 4–7 portion of the 2027 combine starting in February.
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