By Jay Skurski
The NFL released a calendar of significant league dates today for 2013, and some of them apply to the Buffalo Bills and their now-ongoing search for a new head coach.
I've also included some important dates in regards to the NFL Draft. Here they are, from the NFL's release:
- Jan. 6: Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that have byes in the wild card weekend may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the wild card games.
- Jan. 13: Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that won their Wild Card games may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games.
- Jan. 15: Deadline for underclassmen to petition for special eligibility for the 2013 NFL Draft.
- Jan. 19: East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
- Jan. 26: Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
- Jan. 27: An assistant coach, whose team is participating in the Super Bowl, who has previously interviewed for another club's head coaching job may have a second interview with such club no later than the Sunday preceding the Super Bowl.
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Video: Sully, Gaughan & Graham on coaching search • Gailey's full statement
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Jerry Sullivan's post-firing column: Right back to Square One
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Related: Bills make it official: Gailey is fired • NFL Network's analysts' takes • Players' tweets about firing • Fitzpatrick not keen on being a backup
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- Feb. 2: Texas vs. Nation College All-Star Game, Eagle Stadium, Allen, Texas.
- Feb. 20-26: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
- March 9-11: Clubs are permitted to enter into contract negotiations with certified agents of players who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the current league year.
- March 12:
1. All
2012 player contracts will expire at 4 p.m., New York time (that time applies to all the following items, as well).
2. All
clubs must be under the salary cap.
3. The
2013 league year and free agency period begins.
4. Trading
period for 2013 after expiration of all
2012 contracts.
5. Clubs must submit a minimum salary offer to retain
exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2012 contracts and
who have fewer than three seasons of free agency credit.
6. Clubs must submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to
retain a right of first refusal/compensation.
7. Clubs
must exercise options for 2013 on all players who have option clauses in their
2012 contracts.
March 17-20: Annual league meeting, The Biltmore, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 25-27: NFL Draft, New York City, New York.
