Remember for years the NFL roster cutdown went in two phases? It went from 90 players to 75 players to 53 players. That rule changed a few years back, putting the roster cutdown on one day. That meant the team went from 90 players to 53 in one fell swoop; a massive cutdown of 37 players.
Today the NFL announced they are not only going back to multiple cutdown days, but they’re expanding it to not just two, but THREE cutdown days.
NFL owners just approved a 90-man roster to start training camp this year, source said, with cuts to 85 on Aug. 17, 80 on Aug. 24 and 53 on Aug. 31.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 26, 2021
The team will have 90 players throughout camp, with a cutdown to 85 players on August 17. which is just after the Raiders’ first preseason game.
Those 85 players where be cut down to 80 players by August 24, just after the Raiders’ second preseason game.
Then, finally, the roster will get its final, and by far largest, trim of 27 players to get down to 53 on August 31, just after the Raiders’ third and final preseason game.
That means the following day, on September 1st, the practice squads can be formed, and waiver claims can happen, with 12 days until the season opener on September 13.
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