NFL waiver wire rules and order

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 14: Cody Schrader #25 of the Denver Broncos rushes during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

NFL cut day is this Sunday by 4:00 pm MT. All NFL teams will trim their rosters down to 53 players. One interesting mechanic that comes into play is the waiver process. Let’s cover the rules so that Broncos Country knows how it works, why the Broncos may use it, and how their success this season will impact their priority in the future.

When Waivers Come Into Play

From operations.nfl.com:

“When a player contract is terminated, he is either free to negotiate and (sign) with a team at any time or subject to waivers. When released, a contract for a player with fewer than four credited seasons is subject to waivers at all times.”

The biggest influx of players in the waiver system is on cut day. The vast majority of players that are waived by the team they’ve gone through training camp with are going to be players with fewer than four credited seasons.

This means almost every Tom, Dick, and Harry that teams cut could be claimed by other teams.

What Happens When Teams Claim A Player

Again, from operations.nfl.com:

“The waiver system allows teams to place a claim on a player contract before that player becomes a free agent. The team with the highest priority will be awarded the player.”

The order of priority for the 32 teams follows the draft order of the previous season (basically, the worst record gets the first pick, with the last priority going to the team with the best record). Playoff teams automatically get seeded into the list in order of worst record to best after all the other non-playoff teams in the list.

So when a player is cut by a team, any other team can put in a waiver for that player. If no other team puts in a claim, the team gets the player directly. If two or more teams put in a claim, the team with the highest priority (read: worst record) gets the player. Ties are broken by the worst strength of schedule.

Broncos Waiver Wire

The Denver Broncos should currently sit at #30 on the waiver priority list (after week 4, teams will be reshuffled according to their record). This is based on their season record last year of 14-3 and their success in the playoffs, taking them to the AFC Championship game.

Good teams get less opportunity to pick up players who make it to the waiver system. According to FanDuel, the odds say the Broncos win 9.5 total games this season, which would give them a much higher pecking order next season when players get waived… but Broncos Country knows we’re taking the over on that line.

One area the Broncos could utilize the waiver system would be their offensive line, especially at center. The depth with our #1 and #2 center options injured has been less than impressive, and we may need a competent snapper to help until our starter(s) get healthy.

NFL Waiver Wire Order

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks