Two common questions I get around roster cutdown time are:
1. How does the waiver process work?
2. How does the practice squad process work?
If you want to know how they both operate, it's important to know the definition of an "accrued season."
An accrued season is six or more games on a team's 53-man roster, injured reserve (IR) or physically unable to perform (PUP).
Now, let's tackle the waiver process. Before the October 30 trade deadline, veterans (players with four or more accrued seasons) are not subject to waivers. This means the following released Patriots are now able to sign with any team in the NFL, since they are now street free agents:
- Brandon Bolden
- Marquis Flowers
- Brian Schwenke
- Mike Gillislee
- Matt Tobin
Before the trade deadline, players with less than four accrued seasons must go through the waiver process when cut. If claimed on waivers, the player must go to the team that claimed him on waivers. During their first three weeks of the NFL season, the waiver priority goes by the original draft order. The five teams with the highest priority are:
1. Browns
2. Giants
3. Colts
4. Texans
5. Broncos
If the Browns make a claim, they do not fall back to the last position. That is, they will have the first crack at a released non-veteran. The Patriots have the second-to-last waiver priority. Beginning on the Tuesday following the third weekend of the regular season, the claiming priority is based on the inverse order of the standing of clubs in the current season’s games.
When a player is claimed, his contract goes with him. For example, if Ralph Webb has some fully guaranteed salary left in his deal, any team that claims him then becomes responsible for paying that guaranteed amount, even if they waive the player later on.
Hopefully, the above explains the waiver process. If you have any further questions, please ask them in the comments section and I will be sure to answer them.
Now, the practice squad. Each team is allowed a 10-man practice squad. Below are the criteria for six of the ten players:
1. A player who has not accrued a season of NFL experience is eligible for the practice squad. (e.g. a rookie).
2. A free agent who was active (46-man game-day roster) for fewer than nine games during their accrued season(s) is eligible for the practice squad.
3. A player cannot be on a practice squad for a third season unless his team has a full 53-man roster.
Note that a player must have a minimum of six games – up from the current three games – on a practice squad in order for that season to count as one of the player’s three permissible seasons of practice squad service. Four of the ten players can have up to two accrued seasons of free agency credit. Absent this exception, a player who has earned one or more accrued seasons would not be eligible for a practice squad berth unless the player spent fewer than nine games on a club’s 46-player active list in each of his accrued seasons.
A couple of simple rules of thumb to keep in mind for the practice squad are:
1. Rookies and first-year players are always eligible.
2. Veterans are never eligible.
For a list of current Patriots eligible to be placed on the practice squad please see this piece from April.