Start date, cap space, top available players

Everything you need to know before 2022 NFL free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

The offseason can be nearly as exciting as the on-field action, with trades, free agency and the draft consuming the spring and summer months.

That excitement, of course, has only been heightened in 2022 with several high-profile quarterbacks in the news.

In the first month following the Super Bowl, four major quarterback dominos have fallen. Tom Brady retired (and then unretired), Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the Packers, Russell Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos, and Carson Wentz was traded from the Colts to the Commanders.

Here’s a full preview before NFL free agency, including information on the salary cap and some of the top available players:

When does NFL free agency start?

Free agency in the NFL begins immediately when the new league year begins. This year, that falls on March 16, 2022, at 4 p.m. ET.

Teams can begin speaking with free agents two days before free agency begins during the legal tampering period. Beginning on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, clubs can contact and negotiate with players who will become unrestricted free agents two days later. Players and teams can agree to deals, but they can’t be signed until the new league year begins.

Which NFL teams have the most cap space?

The salary cap is a tricky thing in the NFL. Unlike the NBA, football players do not have fully guaranteed salaries. Between bonuses, incentives and void years, there are plenty of loopholes that teams use to clear cap space.

As of March 14, here’s a look at the 10 teams with the most top-51 salary cap space (per Spotrac):

1. Indianapolis Colts: $69,998,729

2. New York Jets: $48,546,254

3. Miami Dolphins: $48,097,187

4. Seattle Seahawks: $45,819,954

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: $39,310,872

6. Chicago Bears: $36,878,225

7. Cincinnati Bengals: $33,784,907

8. Las Vegas Raiders: $29,778,638

9. Carolina Panthers: $29,043,261

10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $27,107,716

Story continues

Plenty of teams aren’t…