NFL teams are preparing for a busy week as they trim their rosters from 90 to 53 players ahead of the regular season. This process, commonly known as cut week, results in nearly 1,200 players being released across the league.
The deadline for teams to reach the 53-man roster limit is set for Tuesday at 4 p.m. Players who are released fall into two categories: vested veterans with at least four years of experience become unrestricted free agents and can sign with any team immediately, while those with fewer than four years must go through waivers. The waiver system awards players based on last year’s draft order.
This year, the Carolina Panthers hold the eighth spot in waiver-claim order, compared to last year when they were first. General Manager Dan Morgan commented on this shift during a recent broadcast: “I think last year compared to this year, we were looking for like starters at the waiver wire and depth guys that were going to play an important role,” Morgan said. “This year, we don’t feel so much that way. We feel good about our roster; we just feel good about the roster as a whole that we’re starting to gain some depth. We’re starting to get the kind of players that we want to get here.
“But to your point, if we want to, since we’re eighth in the order (this year), if we need to, we can swap late round picks if we really like a guy just to kind of get ahead of it. So there are ways to kind of get ahead of it. We’re always looking into things. We’re always going to be creative and try to do things to make this roster a better roster.”
Waiver claims must be submitted by noon on Wednesday. Any player claimed off waivers requires a corresponding release from the current roster.
Teams also have options regarding injured players during this period. They may place up to two players on injured reserve before final cuts and still allow them eligibility for return later in the season after missing at least four games. Once rosters are finalized, more players can be placed on injured reserve with up to eight allowed designations for return over the course of the season.
Regarding physically unable-to-perform (PUP) status, second-year running back Jonathon Brooks will remain out for this season due to an ACL injury suffered in college.
Following clearance from waivers after noon Wednesday, teams can begin signing practice squad members—up to 16 total or 17 if participating in the International Player Pathway program (IPP). The Panthers currently have English linebacker Maz Mwansa competing under IPP guidelines.
Eligibility rules allow six veterans with unlimited experience per practice squad; remaining spots go mostly toward younger players with two or fewer accrued seasons.
Practice squad flexibility enables teams such as Carolina—where last year 13 out of 16 Week 1 practice squad members played in at least one game—to elevate these individuals up three times before requiring full promotion onto the main roster.
