The NFL’s roster cut deadline is fast approaching, and with it comes one of the more convoluted and hectic days of the league’s schedule. Sunday’s cut-down leads to chaos the following day, when players subject to waivers can either be claimed by new teams or become free agents. At that time, teams will also begin assembling practice squads, making it an especially crazy day around the league.
The Green Bay Packers could be active on waivers, perhaps looking to add to the running back or tight end position from the list of players released around the league. Ahead of that process getting started, let’s get a quick refresher on how all of this works.
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NFL teams must reduce their rosters from 90 players to 53 by 6:00 PM Eastern (5:00 PM Central) on Sunday, August 30th. At that time, players who are released go into one of two statuses based on their level of accrued experience in the NFL.
Players with four or more accrued seasons of experience are defined as vested veterans and, when released, immediately become free agents who are eligible to sign with any team in the NFL.
Those with three or fewer accrued seasons, however, are subject to waivers. Teams hoping to sign a player on waivers must submit a waiver claim, and the player’s rights are awarded to whichever team has the highest waiver priority among the teams submitting claims.
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Normally, a waived player will have their waiver process cleared one day after their release is formally processed, taking place at the end of the league’ official day (4:00 PM Eastern). However, the waiver process for players released during final cuts will clear instead at 12:00 Noon Eastern on Monday, August 31st.
After that time, any players who do not receive a claim become free agents and are eligible to sign with any team. Teams may also begin signing these free agent players to their practice squads after the waiver claim deadline.
At final cuts, the NFL orders waivers in reverse order of the previous year’s final standings, mirroring the order from the first round of the NFL Draft (before any trades were processed). The Green Bay Packers would have selected 20th had they not traded their first-round pick away in the Micah Parsons deal, so that is their position in waivers when they process after cuts.
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Here’s the full order:
Of course, the Packers are 20th on this list because they had the second-worst record of the teams who lost in the first round of the playoffs last season (ahead of only the Panthers). Green Bay would love to be 32nd on this list next season, but that would require a Super Bowl win. According to FanDuel sportsbook, the Packers’ Super Bowl odds are currently +2200, putting them in a tie for 13th with a few other teams across the NFL.
