NFL memo bars cut players from signing with league in same year they return to college
The NFL clarified that players who are cut and resume college football cannot sign an NFL contract or negotiate future deals until the following season.
The league issued a memorandum stating that athletes who are released from NFL contracts and then re-enroll in college are ineligible to sign with any NFL team during that same calendar year. While they may return to collegiate competition, clubs are prohibited from arranging advance agreements for the player’s return in the next season, and the player cannot ink a contract until the following year. The rule was highlighted by the case of undrafted rookie free agent Dae’Quan Wright, who spent the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns before seeking to rejoin LSU. Under the NFL’s guidance, Wright may play for LSU in the 2026 season but cannot sign with an NFL team until 2027, nor can any team negotiate a future contract for him in advance. The clarification comes as the NCAA continues to address eligibility issues for such players.