On Sunday, all 32 NFL teams will cut their offseason rosters to 53 players, concluding the 2026 preseason.
The following day, the waiver wire process will begin. Here’s what to know:
When is the deadline for waiver claims?
NFL teams must submit waiver claims for eligible players by 1 PM ET on Monday, August 31. That’s a little less than 24 hours after the official cutdown deadline on Sunday.
After waivers process shortly after 12:00 p.m. Arrowhead time, the remaining players will become free agents and can be signed to practice squads or other rosters.
Which players are eligible for waivers?
When determining waiver eligibility, there are two types of players. Those with less than four “credited” seasons are subject to waivers and are subject to claims before becoming free agents. Those with four or more credited seasons are considered “vested veterans” and are not subject to waivers. Once released, they immediately become free agents and are eligible to sign with whomever they wish.
A “credited” season is different from an “accrued” season. The latter is used to determine if players become Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs), Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) or Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs).
A credited season is as follows: a player must be on an active, inactive, IR, or PUP roster for three or more regular season games. A player who receives an injury settlement (or grievance) for the equivalent of three or more regular season games is also given a credited season.
What’s the current waiver order?
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