NFL sets roster cut-down dates for the 2022 season

With the NFL offseason heading into its final stages, the owners and players association have been working together to sure up any loose items for the upcoming season. After the 2020 season had so many adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 was also an adjustment as it was not the same as the previous year but was still dealing with some of the same issues. With NFL facilities no longer having to follow the Covid protocols they had in place for the last two years, several items need to be ironed out as to if they will stay the same, go back to how things were pre-pandemic, or get adjusted in a completely different way.

For the 2022 season, the NFL owners just agreed to once again have 90-man rosters during training camp. Much like last season, there will be incremental cut downs throughout training camp rather than just one cut from 90 to 53 prior to Week 1. This per the memo shared by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:

The three dates listed all fall on a Tuesday and come after each week of the NFL preseason. Teams will be required to cut five players following their first preseason game and another five players following Week 2 of the preseason. Final roster cut downs where teams determine their 53-man roster will occur on Tuesday, August 30, 2022.

Once rosters have been reduced to 53 players, teams will have until 12 PM ET on Wednesday to make any waiver claims. The NFL will notify all teams by 1 PM of all claimed players and teams will then have one hour to make adjustments to get their roster down to 53 players. Teams will be also able to immediately begin signing their practice squad players at that time.

The NFL used to do multiple cut downs for teams as recently as 2016. Previously, teams had to cut down to 75 players before their final preseason game in Week 4.

With no Week 4 of the preseason as there are only three games which began in 2021, teams will have extra practice time with only their 53-man roster and practice squad. It was announced earlier this week that practice squads will remain at 16 players again this season.

With final roster cuts downs being 12 days before the majority of NFL teams kick off on Sunday, September 11, teams will once again have the opportunity to scour the waiver wire and make additional moves well ahead of Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. With the extra week between the preseason and the regular season, it almost acts as if teams have an extra bye before the season starts and could attempt to make changes with their personnel and bring new players up to speed.

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