For players on the bubble across the NFL, a phone call Tuesday can bring either very good or very bad news.
That’s the reality as 32 teams downsize from 80 players to 53 by 4 p.m. ET, setting their initial regular-season rosters and parting with hundreds of players in the process.
The roster cutdown process is not always straightforward – there will be trades and roster maneuverings to account for injuries – but it is always difficult, just as it’s a sign that the start of the season is finally drawing near.
This year, franchises can sign back 16 players – including more veterans than ever -- onto practice squads beginning Wednesday.