After three years of trying gradual roster cutdowns, the NFL has voted to return to having just one roster reduction ahead of the regular season.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the NFL adopted resolution G-4 which sets a roster reduction date and procedures for roster reduction. A total of 25 NFL teams proposed this resolution, including the Kansas City Chiefs, and it received enough support for approval.
NFL teams will now trim their 90-man offseason rosters down to 53 players on Tuesday, August 29, just ahead of the start of the 2023 NFL season.
One significant resolution — proposed by 25 NFL teams and adopted today — establishes one preseason cutdown date, which this year will be Aug. 29. pic.twitter.com/feT9vDJZqp
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 28, 2023
The rules for the waiver claim period, reserve lists and everything else are virtually the same in this resolution as they were last season. The big change is that teams will no longer have to trim rosters from 90 to 85 players and 85 to 80 players prior to their final cuts.
This change has some benefits and it has some downsides. On one hand, it’s going to allow for a greater length of time for teams to evaluate the 90 players on the offseason roster. That could give a fringe candidate a little bit more time to make the team. On the other hand, the final preseason game likely won’t have a lot of players involved who actually make the team’s 53-man roster. Those games already didn’t feature many star players, but with an extra 10 players on the roster, it’s going to allow teams to rest whoever they please in that final game.
