All rosters must be trimmed from 80 to 53 by 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. And we’ll be tracking all the cuts right here, all day long as 864 players become available.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as the Turk collects playbooks and/or iPads.
First, every player with three or fewer years of service must pass through waivers. The Panthers have first dibs on all players who are waived.
Second, every player with four or more years of service immediately becomes a free agent.
Third, expect plenty of churning, especially at the bottom of each roster. The last five or six spots are fluid, and those spots will remain fluid for most of the year.
Fourth, practice squads will fill up on Sunday, after players clear waivers.
For a lot of men, their dreams of playing in the NFL will soon be ending. Some will keep at it, and some will eventually find their place in the league. But for plenty of players a permanent lockout is coming, and it’s hard not to feel bad for those guys.