Over the past two days, the New England Patriots reduced their 2024 roster from 89 to 53 players. While some players were moved to injury lists, the majority—30 out of 36—were simply released.
However, not all cuts are the same: the NFL distinguishes between vested veterans and players with less experience. Vested veterans, who have more experience, immediately become free agents upon release. In contrast, less experienced players must go through the waiver wire, where they can be claimed by other teams or become free agents if unclaimed.
What does this process mean for the Patriots and the other 31 NFL teams? Let’s break it down.
How Does the NFL Waiver Wire Work?
The waiver wire allows teams to claim players who have been released by other teams, including most of the 30 players let go by the Patriots on Monday and Tuesday. Typically, teams have 24 hours to submit claims, but on cutdown day, this window is shortened: with final cuts happening at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, teams have until noon on Wednesday to submit their claims.
If a player is claimed, he joins the claiming team’s active 53-man roster. The team must then have an open spot on its roster or create one within an hour of receiving the league’s notice that the player has been claimed.
Who Is Subject to Waivers?
Players with less than four accrued seasons must pass through the waiver wire before becoming unrestricted free agents. An accrued season in the NFL is defined as six or more games spent on a team’s 53-man roster, injured reserve, or physically unable to perform list.
All players who meet these criteria and were cut before Tuesday’s deadline are now on the waiver wire and can be claimed by other teams. Teams can submit as many claims as they want, but must consider roster and salary cap limits: they cannot have more than 53 players on the active roster or exceed the salary cap.
How Is the Waiver Claim Order Determined?
For the first three weeks of the season, waiver claims are processed based on the draft order. The team with the worst record from the previous season gets the first claim, followed by the team with the second-worst record, and so on. Traded or forfeited picks are not considered—only the original draft order based on last year’s standings is used.
The Patriots are in a strong position, having finished the previous season with a 4-13 record, giving them the third priority in waiver claims. For example, if both the third-ranked Patriots and fourth-ranked Cardinals submit a claim for the same player, that player will join the Patriots due to their higher ranking. The team with the lowest rank always wins the claim.
After the third week of the regular season, the waiver claim order is updated weekly based on the current league standings and continues this way until a new draft order is established after the Super Bowl.
Which Patriots Were Placed on Waivers?
Of the 30 players released by New England on Monday and Tuesday, 28 are subject to waivers due to their lack of experience in the league:
LS Tucker Addington, WR Kawaan Baker, S Joshuah Bledsoe, DE William Bradley-King, DT Josiah Bronson, LB Steele Chambers, OT Kellen Diesch, RB Deshaun Fenwick, OL Liam Fornadel, RB Kevin Harris, CB Azizi Hearn, OT Zuri Henry, RB Terrell Jennings, ED Kobe Jones, WR Matt Landers, OL Atonio Mafi, ED Christian McCarroll, TE La’Michael Pettway, DE Sam Roberts, ED Jotham Russell, K Chad Ryland, S A.J. Thomas, OL Charles Turner III, CB Mikey Victor, CB Shaun Wade, WR David Wallis, TE Jacob Warren, QB Bailey Zappe
In the past six years, New England has had a total of 12 players claimed off waivers. Those who are not claimed may still have the opportunity to join the Patriots’ practice squad.
Which Patriots Were Not Placed on Waivers?
Players with more than four accrued seasons are not required to go through the waiver system. The Patriots released two such vested veterans on Tuesday:
LB Joe Giles-Harris, TE Mitchell Wilcox
Joe Giles-Harris and Mitchell Wilcox are now free to sign with any team. However, there is still a possibility that one or both may return to New England in the future.
