When an NFL team cuts a player, other teams often get a chance to claim him before he can sign anywhere else. That process is called waivers. A related but separate system, the practice squad, lets teams stash extra players who are not on the 53-man roster. Both matter this week because the 2026 trade deadline is Tuesday, November 10, and a rule about who can be waived changes the day after.
Key takeaways
- Players with fewer than four accrued seasons generally go through waivers when released. Players with four or more accrued seasons, called vested veterans, become free agents instead.
- Waiver priority followed the draft order for the first three weeks of the season, then switched to the standings, worst record first.
- The NFL calendar sets the 2026 trade deadline at 4:00 p.m. New York time on November 10. On November 11, vested veterans become subject to waivers for the rest of the season.
- A team can carry 16 players on its practice squad. A player on one team’s practice squad can be signed to another team’s 53-man roster, but not to another practice squad.
What are NFL waivers?
Waivers are a short window after a team releases a player in which every other team can put in a claim. If a team claims him, the player joins that team and his existing contract transfers as written. If nobody claims him, he clears waivers and becomes a free agent who can sign with any team. Claims run on a short clock. For example, the claiming period for players cut at the final roster reduction ended at 1:00 p.m. New York time on August 31, according to the NFL’s calendar.
Who has to go through waivers?
| Player | What happens when he is released |
|---|---|
| Fewer than four accrued seasons | Subject to waivers. Other teams can claim him. |
| Four or more accrued seasons (vested veteran) | Not subject to waivers during most of the year. He becomes a free agent and can choose his next team. |
| Any player after Nov. 11 (the day after the trade deadline) | The NFL calendar says players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons become subject to waivers for the rest of the regular season and postseason. |
Who gets the first claim?
If more than one team claims the same player, the team with the higher waiver priority gets him. According to CBS Sports, the order for the first three weeks of 2026 followed the 2026 draft order, based on the true draft slots, even if a team had traded its pick. The NFL calendar says claiming priority was set by the current standings starting September 29, the day after the third regular-season weekend. National Football Post adds that the order runs worst record first, so weaker teams get the first shot at available players.
What changes at the trade deadline?
The NFL calendar says all trading ends for 2026 at 4:00 p.m. New York time on November 10. The next day, November 11, vested veterans lose their usual exemption and go through waivers like other players for the rest of the regular season and the postseason. That means a veteran released after the deadline can be claimed by another team instead of choosing freely. Our look at Diego Pavia’s football future is a good example of how roster rules shape where a player can land.
How does the practice squad work?
The practice squad is a group of players a team pays and practices with but does not count among its 53 active players. National Football Post reports that every club can keep 16 players on it in 2026, with a club allowed a 17th in the International Player Pathway program. The NFL calendar lists a 17-player squad, which is consistent with that extra slot.
- Who can join. Players with no accrued seasons are eligible, and up to six spots can go to veterans with any number of accrued seasons, per CBS Sports. A player subject to waivers must clear them first.
- Game-day elevations. A club can elevate up to two practice squad players for a game, and a player can be elevated for up to three games in a season without taking a 53-man roster spot, according to National Football Post. After that, the club must sign him to the 53-man roster to use him again.
- Getting poached. Another team can sign a practice squad player to its 53-man roster, but he cannot move straight to another team’s practice squad.
Explainers disagree on some details, such as weekly protections for practice squad players, so we have left those out. The NFL’s own rules and the collective bargaining agreement are the final word. If you are following a team’s moves, you may also like our report on stadium event resale prices.
FAQ
What does it mean to clear waivers? It means no team claimed the player in the claiming window, so he becomes a free agent.
Why do teams with worse records get first priority? After the first three weeks, claiming priority follows the standings, worst record first, which gives struggling teams the first look at available players.
When is the 2026 NFL trade deadline? 4:00 p.m. New York time on November 10, 2026, per the NFL calendar.
Can a practice squad player sign with another team? Yes, to that team’s 53-man roster. He cannot move directly to another practice squad.
For more, visit our Sports section.
Dates and waiver rules are from the NFL’s 2026-27 important dates. Priority, eligibility and practice squad details are from CBS Sports and National Football Post. These are media explainers, not the league’s rulebook, and some details differ between sources.
Leave a Reply