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NFL free agency 2025, explained: How does it work, and what does it mean for the Patriots?

The NFL will officially close the book on its 2024 season on Wednesday.

While the season runs from September to early February, the league year actually is 365 (or 366) days long and traditionally starts in mid-March. And today is the day: the clocks are being turned to 2025.

The new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12. At that point, player contracts running only through 2024 will expire to mark the start of free agency. In addition, all teams need to be under the salary cap, and the trading window opens as well.