The 49ers, along with 31 other teams, will bookmark the start of NFL free agency as well as the beginning of the league new year.
Following their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, the San Francisco 49ers only had a few weeks to prepare for the following offseason, the beginning of the NFL new year taking place roughly a month later.
Heading into 2025, head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. get more of a jumpstart, having missed the playoffs with a 6-11 finish over the course of the regular season.
This might be a bonus, as it'll give Shanahan and general manager John Lynch some time to navigate their numerous needs and challenges between now and the start of the next regular season.
Since the Niners aren't worried about playoff football right now, what's the next important date on the offseason calendar?
The beginning of NFL free agency isn't just the opening of a window for Shanahan and Lynch to start signing available players. It also marks the point when other teams may begin purging players from San Francisco's own list of pending free agents. The 49ers unquestionably want some of these players back, but they won't be able to afford the asking price for everyone.
Hence, that's why the start date for NFL free agency is so vital because it gives a deadline.
When does the start of NFL free agency begin?
Free agency kicks off at the very beginning of the league new year.
For 2025, the time and date are 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12.
At that point, any unrestricted free agent whose contract is expiring is free to sign with any team offering a deal.
Related story: NFL rules: What's the difference between restricted and unrestricted free agency?
Beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, March 10, teams can begin negotiating contracts with pending free agents whose deals are to expire on March 12. This is sometimes colloquially referred to as the "legal tampering" period, although it's not classified as tampering.
The NFL's definition of this two-day negotiating window is as follows:
"Negotiation Period. During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 10 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 12, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2024 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 12."
This does explain why news of pending deals for soon-to-be free agents will break in the two days preceeding the start of actual free agency and the beginning of the league new year.
When does NFL free agency end?
Technically, free agency doesn't come to a close. Teams are permitted to sign unrestricted free agents at any point thereafter up to (and during) the regular season. Provided a player isn't under contract and has cleared waivers (if applicable), he can sign with any team offering a contract.
There are waves of free agency, which frequently include an opening wave of high-profile signings and a second wave of deals that took longer to materialize.
Following waves are common.