The Cleveland Browns have 59 players who are subject to waivers if the team includes them among their roster cuts as they work to figure out who the initial 53-man roster will be. This becomes particularly relevant if Cleveland waives a player who you hope they can still eventually sign to the 16-man practice squad. During the waiver claim process, it’s possible another team can jump in and add them to their 53-man roster.
LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
Advertisement
Whether or not a player enters the waiver wire of becomes a free agent depends on a player’s NFL service time. Players with at least four years of accrued NFL service time are outright released. For example, if Deshaun Watson was released, he would immediately become a free agent. He would be eligible to sign with any team, with no waiting period involved.
However, if a player has less than four years of service time, they are waived and subject to waiver wire claims. Any player who is not claimed after being waived is eligible to sign wherever they’d like, including their former team’s practice squad.
The NFL waiver order during the preseason and the first three weeks of the regular season mirrors the 2026 NFL Draft order. After Week 3, the order resets to the current NFL standings. Will the Browns’ Super Bowl odds improve by the time that time rolls around? According to FanDuel, the Browns are 225/1 odds to win the Super Bowl, heading into final roster cuts. If they start winning early, by Week 4, maybe their waiver wire priority will be near the bottom of the pack.
Advertisement
The first batch of waiver claims will be due by 1:00 pm ET on Monday, August 31.
The Raiders will have first waiver claim priority for cutdowns to 53-man rosters, while the Browns will be sixth in line.
