The Detroit Lions’ 2025 season is over, and now it’s time to jump into full offseason mode. This is going to be the most consequential offseason the Lions have had in a pretty long time. They need to have a big one to make sure that they can get back to being Super Bowl contenders. If you’re tracking everything going on with the Lions this offseason, here are the important dates you need to know about:

Hula Bowl, January 10th

Not the biggest college All-Star game of them all, but the Lions will be on hand, and they found players there last year. Practice squad offensive tackle Mason Miller played in this game and met with the Lions there. Even bigger, this was where the Lions first met with Isaac TeSlaa. He impressed so much that he got invited to the Senior Bowl weeks later.

East -West Shrine Bowl, January 27th

The first college All-Star game of the offseason that is going to have a lot of eyes on it. The Lions met with both Ahmed Hassanein and Jackson Meeks at this game last year.

Senior Bowl, January 27th-31st

This is the big one when it comes to the All-Star games. The Lions are going to have a large contingent at this game, as will the rest of the league. For this one, the practices are almost more important than the game. That’s why we put the practice schedule on there. The game itself is on the 31st, and you can watch it on NFL Network.

NFL Combine, February 23rd-March 2nd

This one is huge for the Lions. This is the spot where we first get a real sense of who the Lions are talking to and what positions they’re looking at. It’s crucial for understanding the Lions’ plans. Plus, you get to hear from Lions GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell right before free agency opens up.

Free Agency Legal Tampering Period, March 9th-11th

Everyone knows this is where the news happens. At least the big news. The Lions will be able to talk with players’ agents and agree to deals. They can’t sign anything during this time, but they can agree on terms and money. This is expected to be a big free agency period for the Lions.

Free agency, March 11th at 4:00 P.M.

This is where the deals can get signed, and the players can head out to Detroit and meet the staff, media, and fans. Again, this should be a big time period for the Lions. In addition to being able to sign players, this is when the Lions can also trade players. Trades can be made in agreement only before this, but they officially go through at the start of the new league year on March 11th.

Annual League Meeting, March 29th-April 1st

This is where a ton of information can be learned because this is where the media gets to meet with Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, and Rod Wood, and really get to spend time with them. Last year, we met with each of them for about 45 minutes each and learned a lot right before the draft, and also got an understanding of why the Lions signed the free agents they did and why they didn’t sign some guys. From a league standpoint, this is where the new rules are looked over and approved or denied. Last year, the Lions submitted multiple proposals for rule changes. They did it the year before as well.

Deadline to have draft prospects in for top-30 visits, April 15th

The Lions will have plenty of time to get prospects in for workouts and physicals. We learn a lot from these visits. Last year, the Lions had TeSlaa and Tyleik Williams in for visits, and those are just the ones who were reported.

Offseason Workouts Begin, April 20th

Here’s where the Lions can get back to work and start workouts. There’s going to be a much deeper program schedule, but that will not come out for a while.

2026 NFL Draft, April 23rd-25th

What more needs to be said? This is a big draft for the Lions. They currently have the 17th pick in the first round. We’ll see who they pick.

Deadline to exercise fifth-year options, May 1st

Both Jamhyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell could have their fifth-year options exercised on or before this date. These are going to be huge decisions for this team.

Rookie Mini-Camp, May 1st-4th or May 8th-11th

Not only do the Lions get to work with their rookies for the first time, but they also get a chance to work out some players. Not just undrafted rookies, but veteran players can be worked out here, too.

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