Here are the ways in which teams can move players during roster cutdowns:
Released: When a vested veteran of at least six NFL seasons is cut. They immediately become unrestricted free agents upon their release.
Waived: When a player who is not a six-year NFL veteran is cut, he goes through waivers. The league’s other 31 teams, in an order based off 2021 records, will then have their respective chances to claim the player by 12 p.m. ET on Aug. 31. If the player is not claimed, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Waived/injured: When a player clears waivers and is then reverted to the injured reserve. The player can choose to remain on the team’s IR or opt for an injury settlement to become an unrestricted free agent.
Injured reserve: When a player is placed on the IR. If the player is not on the 53-man roster by Sept. 1, he is not allowed to return during the season.
Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list: A player can be moved from the Active/PUP list to the Reserve/PUP list to begin the season. They will then have two six-week windows to be activated to the 53-man roster. If they are not activated during either window, they must be moved to the IR for the remainder of the season.
Non-football injury (NFI) list: This is a similar process to the aforementioned Reserve/PUP list. Players will be allotted two six-week windows to return. Teams, however, can withhold a portion of the player’s salary if they go through the NFI list.
Wave No. 1
AP Photo/Nick Wass
The following players were moved prior to the Aug. 16 deadline in the team’s adjustment to an 85-man roster:
