Key offseason dates to remember for Cardinals

A look at the biggest dates to remember this NFL offseason and how they relate to the Arizona Cardinals.

Apr 29, 2026, 10:52 AM

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With the brunt of free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the focus now turns that much more to offseason programs for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the league.

A look at the biggest dates and deadlines to remember this offseason as it relates to the Cardinals:

Important NFL offseason dates for the Arizona Cardinals in 2026

May 1

The deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year option of a player drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

General manager Monti Ossenfort confirmed during Day 1 of the NFL Draft that the team was picking up Paris Johnson Jr.’s option. It was a no-brainer move. Now, it’s about locking in an extension. Also, a no-brainer.

May 8-10

Arizona’s rookie minicamp gets underway.

This marks the first time first-round pick Jeremiyah Love and the rest of Arizona’s rookie class hit the grass in an organized fashion as Cardinals.

May 18-19 and 21

Arizona’s first session of voluntary organized team activities.

May 26-27 and 29

The Cardinals’ second session of voluntary OTAs.

June 1-2 and June 4

Arizona’s third session of voluntary OTAs.

June 8-10

Minicamp for veterans and rookies.

Mid July

Training camp kicks off.

August 8

Larry Fitzgerald’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in Canton, Ohio.

Tyler Drake Cardinals reporter and ArizonaSports.com editor

Born and raised in Kelseyville, California, I spent most of my summers growing up in Arizona. There were a lot of trips to Globe and the East Valley. Once out of high school, I attended the University of Arizona with a major in natural resources… Read more

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