Sunday’s 53-man roster cutdown pushed hundreds of NFL players onto the waiver wire, creating a short but important window for teams looking to add depth before the season begins. Players with three or fewer accrued seasons must pass through waivers, while vested veterans with four or more accrued seasons are free to choose their next stop.
That matters because the waiver period runs from Sunday through Monday at 1 p.m. ET, giving teams one last chance to claim players before the market resets. The claim order is based on the 2025 regular-season standings, not preseason results, so the teams positioned near the top of that order have the best chance to land help.
Why the waiver wire matters now
The roster deadline always creates movement, but this year’s cutdown again showed how quickly the landscape changes. Some preseason standouts made 53-man rosters, while others did not, leaving a large pool of available players for clubs that need immediate depth at the right spot.
The Las Vegas Raiders hold top claim priority, which gives them the first chance to add from the waiver wire if they choose to do so. That makes the next stretch especially relevant for teams that are still evaluating the back end of their roster or looking for an upgrade at a thin position group.
Players to watch
One of the notable names to hit the waiver wire is Bralyn Lux, the cornerback waived by the Bengals on Sunday. He is now part of the newly available pool as clubs sort through the options created by the cutdown.
The broader waiver-wire big board will continue to take shape as teams study who became available and where they fit. For clubs near the top of the claim order, the next few hours offer a chance to turn a roster cut elsewhere into a useful addition of their own.
Once Monday at 1 p.m. ET arrives, the claiming period ends and the focus shifts to how teams use the players they were able to secure. For now, the waiver wire is one of the most active parts of the NFL calendar.
