If the players ratify the proposed collective bargaining agreement today, the NFL's revised 2011 calendar would have teams opening their doors for voluntary training, conditioning and classroom instruction on Saturday.
NFL transactions would also begin on Saturday, with the waivers process starting and teams allowed to negotiate with and sign their draft picks, their own free agents, restricted free agents, and exclusive rights free agents and players designated with the franchise tag.
At 2pm ET on July 23, teams may begin negotiating with, but cannot sign, street free agents, unrestricted free agents, other team's restricted free agents, and undrafted free agents.
The undrafted free agents cannot sign contracts until 2pm ET on Sunday, July 24, while street free agents, unrestricted free agents, other team's restricted free agents cannot sign contracts (or offer sheets for the restricted free agents) until the league year opens at 2pm ET on Wednesday, July 27.
July 27 is also when teams may begin trading players.
Despite the ability to negotiate with all 32 teams on Saturday, the inability to actually sign a contract until Wednesday means we shouldn't expect many reports of unrestricted free agents agreeing to terms with new teams on Saturday. Teams and agents will still be digesting the CBA, and will not put their best foot forward so early in the process.
With several days before players cannot actually sign, those efforts will be saved for Tuesday, which is when we can expect to hear reports of free agents boarding planes headed to a new NFL city.
Provided, of course, that the players ratify the agreement today.
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