When the clock strikes 4:01 pm on Saturday, the New England Patriots and the other 31 teams in the NFL will have cut their active rosters from 80 down to 53. This process will leave more than 800 players across the league in a state of limbo. Will they get claimed off waivers? Will they enter the open market? Will they get signed to a practice squad? Will anybody even show interest in them?
Cutdown weekend is not only one of the busiest stretches on the NFL calendar, but also one of the toughest in all of sports.