How NFL Teams Cut Rosters to 53 and Why Trades Happen on Cutdown Day
This guide explains how the NFL roster moves from 90 players to 53, why teams make trades at the final cutdown, and what those moves mean for depth charts.
The roster must shrink quickly
Every NFL team begins training camp with 90 players. The league requires that number to fall to 53 before the regular season. The final cutdown is the end of a longer process, and it forces coaches to make rapid evaluations of every position group.
Not everyone is simply released
Many players on the roster bubble are waived, but front offices also work the phones. A player who might not survive his own team's cutdown can still be valuable to another team with a thinner group at that position. Trading him gains an asset rather than losing him to a waivers claim. Teams in need of immediate help can avoid the uncertainty of the waiver wire by striking a deal before the deadline.
Trades shift the depth chart
A depth chart is more than a list of names; it sets the order of playing time and defines roles. When a player is traded into a team at cutdown, he often arrives with an expectation to contribute immediately. The move can push a younger player down a spot, shift a starter to a new role, or fill a hole left by an injured player. Trades during the cutdown period are usually about need, not long-term planning.
Veterans can lose jobs too
The Packers' decision on kicker Brandon McManus is one example. According to Football RealGM, Green Bay released McManus, clearing the way for rookie Trey Smack, a sixth-round pick. McManus had missed two field goals and an extra point in a playoff loss. Teams hold kicking battles in training camp, but cutdown day is when those battles become final.
The roster is not frozen at 53
Making the 53-man cut does not guarantee a player stays there. The practice squad is assembled right after the cutdown, and teams can sign players who were released by other clubs. A player placed on injured reserve can open a temporary roster spot. The final 53 is best understood as the first version of a group that will keep changing through the season.
Why this matters
The last cutdown decides who is available for Week 1. Trading a player instead of releasing him can give the new team a specific skill it lacks, and a depth-chart change at one position often affects special teams or another unit. For fans, the moves announced on cutdown day are the real start of the regular season.