The 2025 NFL preseason is over and it’s time to look ahead to roster cut day.
With each team finishing up its preseason slate over the weekend, rosters are now under construction as teams frantically try to meet size requirements for both the active squad and practice squad.
Some cuts will be easy, while others will be difficult decisions that could come back to haunt teams. The regular season is inching closer with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys set to kick things off Sept. 4, on NBC and Peacock.
Here’s a full breakdown of NFL cutdown day in 2025:
What is NFL cutdown day?
Cutdown day is the deadline when teams must trim their preseason rosters to fit the regular season roster size. They can accomplish this by releasing players, trading players or moving players to the practice squad.
When are NFL roster cuts in 2025?
Previously, there were cutdown days after every preseason week to gradually trim rosters down from 90 to 53. That rule changed in 2024, as there’s now just one date when teams must get to 53 players: Tuesday, Aug. 26.
By 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, rosters must be in compliance with regular season rules.
When and where is Super Bowl 60? Here’s what to know about the NFL’s Big Game.
Notable NFL roster cuts this year
Teams have already started to trim their rosters ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Here are some of the big names that have been waived so far (as of the morning of Monday, Aug. 25)
When did the NFL preseason end in 2025?
The third and final week of the 2025 preseason concluded on Saturday, Aug. 23.
That left every team with a few days to make their final roster cuts. Week 3 had two games Thursday (Aug. 21), four games Friday (Aug. 22) and 10 games Saturday (Aug. 23) before roster cuts Tuesday (Aug. 26).
How many players are on an NFL team in 2025?
Teams are allowed to carry 90 players in the offseason, but rosters must be cut to 53 players by Aug. 26 and remain at that number throughout the season.
Despite having 53 players on the roster, only 48 can be active on game day.
In addition to the 53-man active roster, each club can carry up to 17 players on its regular season practice squad. Players can also be placed on injured reserve or non-football injury list and not be counted on the 53-man roster.
NFL practice squad rules for 2025
Practice squads now include 17 players as of 2024, as long as one is considered an international player. That player can be chosen through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program or via their own scouting department.
Here are the qualifications for practice squad players, who can be signed by any other team and leave immediately at any time if it’s for an active roster spot:
- Players who do not have a season of NFL experience (rookies).
- Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only season (second-year players).
- Up to four players per team who have played no more than two seasons (no game limitations).
- Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of seasons played.
Here’s what we know so far about the 2025 NFL schedule, which includes seven global games for the first time in league history.
