As part of the protocols for returning to play, NFL teams were given the option of either cutting their roster down to 80, from up to 90 players, prior to veteran reporting date, or to retain 90-man rosters until August 16, the day that practice in pads would be set to begin, at which point all teams would be required to reduce their rosters to no more than 80.
Many teams already began trimming down their rosters. The Arizona Cardinals and the New England Patriots were among the teams who chose to get down all the way to 80 players by Sunday, while others began the process of elimination.