Roster subtraction is complete, and now the first wave of addition can begin
All 32 teams are trimmed down to 53 players after the NFL’s roster cut deadline, and now that there are hundreds of veterans, recent draft picks and promising undrafted free agents on the market, teams can begin to file waiver claims. A handful of players who were on the wrong side of the roster cut line will be fortunate enough to have a short wait before finding roster spots through the waiver process.
Teams have until 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 31 to submit waiver claims. Their spot in the waiver wire order determines whether they are awarded their top priority or any secondary priorities they might file.
The first waiver wire order of the season matches the 2026 NFL Draft order. That means the Las Vegas Raiders are guaranteed to secure their top waiver priority should they file one. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants round out the first five.
For the full order and a complete rundown of how the waiver process works — including which players are subject to waivers and how practice squads are constructed) — we have an explainer that outlines the entire system.
When the waiver claims start flying in, they will be listed below.
Top 10 available players
1. S Taylor Rapp
2. CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
3. LB Elandon Roberts
4. IOL Evan Neal
5. WR Cedric Tillman
6. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
7. EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah
8. RB Trey Benson
9. RB Jaydon Blue
10. QB Jake Browning
