In my early GM years, before free agency and the salary cap came to the NFL in 1994, the month of July was extremely busy as almost all our draftees and unsigned vets waited until shortly before training camp to finish their contract negotiations. That made for a much less enjoyable July 4th holiday, as I knew what a hectic time was ahead.
Former Vikings GM Weighs in on Justin Jefferson, Danielle Hunter Contracts
It all changed when the cap and unrestricted free agency was instituted under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the pressure point changed dramatically to March for free agent signings and shortly after the April draft for the rookies.