It used to be that on the final cutdown date in the NFL, teams would release their final round of guys, and the roster was pretty much set. They called it their “final roster.” Now, it is entitled the “initial roster.” Teams had 90 players, and in one swoop had to get down to 53 players.

And because the day after cuts, there are so many athletes now unemployed, club GMs would put in waiver claims for guys who could instantly help with depth. Sign four guys, then drop four guys. Pretty simple.

When the 2025 version of the Cleveland Browns was unveiled on August 27, would heads roll the next day? They did for every club.

All of them grabbed new guys, then had to figure out who the weak links were on their “initial roster.” And suddenly, guys who were placing a security deposit on an apart

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