On Wednesday the NFL announced several key dates for the 2021 season. Here is a look at some of those important dates for the Bucs and the rest of the league.

July 15 – Franchise Tag Extension Deadline

Players who were given the franchise tag designation prior to free agency must sign a contract extension by 4:00 pm or play the 2021 season with the one-year tag. Shaquil Barrett was given the franchise tag last year and had to play on the tag before signing a four-year contract extension in 2021, averaging $17 million. This year it appears wide receiver Chris Godwin will have to face a similar fate.

July 25 – Bucs Training Camp Starts

Because Tampa Bay will start the 2021 season on Thursday, September 9 against Dallas, the defending Super Bowl champions get to start camp a few days ahead of most teams. Rookies are allowed to report to One Buccaneer Place as early as July 18.

August 17 – First Roster Cuts

Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The first roster cuts will happen after the first preseason game as NFL rosters must be trimmed from 90 players to 85. The Bucs host the Bengals in the first preseason game on August 14.

August 24 – Second Roster Cuts

The second roster cuts comes after the second preseason game as rosters will be reduced from 85 players to 80 players. The Bucs host Tennessee in the second preseason game on August 21.

August 31 – Final Roster Cuts

The final roster cuts come at the conclusion of the preseason with all teams paring their rosters down from 80 players to 53. Tampa Bay travels to Houston for the final preseason game on August 28.

September 1 – Practice Squad Establishment

Teams may start establishing a 16-player practice squad on September 1 – one day after final roster cuts.

September 1 – Injured Reserve Window Begins

Players that are given an injured reserve or the reserve/non-football injury designation ahead of 4:00 pm on September 1 will not be eligible to return during the 2021 season. Those players placed on I.R. afterwards may be brought back during the season. The NFL has not determined the details regarding the returns. Last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, players were allowed to return after missing as few as three weeks.

September 9/12/13 – NFL Opening Weekend

The Bucs and Cowboys start the season on Thursday, September 9 at Raymond James Stadium to kick off 2021.

September 28 – Waiver Wire Process Begins

After the third weekend of regular season, the waiver wire claim process changes from last year’s draft order to be  based on the inverse order of standings. The Bucs are currently No. 32 on the waiver wire claims list.

Mid-October – PUP/NFI Players Can Return To Practice

The NFL hasn’t established a date yet, but prior to teams’ seventh regular season game players that were placed on the PUP list (physically unable to perform) and the NFI list (non-football injury) are eligible to return to practice.

November 2 – NFL Trade Deadline

The league has established that trades for the 2021 season will cease at November 2 at 4:00 pm.

November 16 – In-Season Signing Deadline

If a team has any unsigned franchise players, restricted free agents or draft picks that are not signed by 4:00 pm those players will be ineligible to play during the 2021 season if not under contract. Godwin signed his franchise tag back in March, and only rookie offensive lineman Robert Hainsey, the team’s third-round pick, remains unsigned.