NFL teams are entering the busiest roster-cut period of the offseason, trimming from 90 players to the initial 53-man rosters by Tuesday, August 26, at 4 p.m. ET. The deadline will finalize the opening 53-man rosters around the league ahead of the season’s kickoff in less than two weeks. On average, each club will release about 37 players, meaning roughly 1,182 players will be waived in the coming days as teams pare down their rosters.
Rosters, waivers and the path to the practice squad
– Teams must reduce their active rosters to 53 players. The players released during this process remain eligible to be a part of a team’s 69-man offseason roster via the practice squad.
– The practice squad can have up to 16 players, with one exception: if a team has a player from the International Pathway Program on its roster, it can keep 17 players on the practice squad. In practice, this means teams can have 53 active players, up to 16 on the practice squad, and an International Pathway Program slot, giving a larger overall roster for clubs with IPP players.
– Players with fewer than four accrued seasons must pass through the waiver wire to become unrestricted free agents. An accrued season is defined as six or more games on a team’s 53-man roster, injured reserve, or the physically unable to perform list. Players with four or more accrued seasons are free agents immediately and can sign with a new team at any time.
– For those with less than four years of accrued service time, teams have until noon ET on Wednesday to place claims. In practical terms, teams have about 20 hours to claim a player once waived.
Initial 53-man roster cuts: names released (with updates expected)
The following players have been released as teams move toward the 53-man roster deadline. Updates will be provided in the coming days as more cuts are announced:
– WR Kelly Akharaiyi
– WR Andre Baccellia
– CB Ekow Boye-Doe
– TE Oscar Cardenas
– OL McClendon Curtis
– CB Steven Gilmore
– DL Patrick Jenkins
– LB Vi Jones
– OL Roy Mbaeteka
– WR Nate McCollum
– OL Dohnovan West
– LB Benton Whitley
– TBD
– QB Jack Plummer
– TBD
– QB Hendon Hooker
– CB Dicaprio Bootle
– OL Keaton Sutherland
– TBD
– QB Bailey Zappe
– TBD
– WR Dez Fitzpatrick
– OL Kenyon Green
– QB Kyle McCord
– WR Giles Jackson
– DB Lewis Cine
– TE Nick Muse
– TBD
– LB Khaleke Hudson
What this means going forward
– As cuts continue, teams will refine their 53-man rosters and begin to fill practice squad slots, with many players likely to land on practice squads even if they don’t make the initial 53.
– Watch for waiver claims among players with fewer accrued seasons, as teams evaluate depth needs and potential long-term contributions.
– The ongoing updates will shape training camp narratives and early-season depth charts, with several intriguing players possibly finding new opportunities on waivers or practice squads.
Additional notes for readers
– Fans and fantasy players should monitor official team announcements and NFL transaction logs over the next 24–48 hours for the latest cut updates and practice squad signings.
– The process underscores the importance of flexibility and depth across NFL rosters as teams prepare for the regular season. While many cuts are inevitable, the subsequent waiver period often yields surprise signings that can impact early-season rotations.