NFL teams, including the New York Giants, can receive waivers beginning Wednesday afternoon. You can also start building exercise groups. There’s always some confusion about the rules of how this all works. Let’s see if we can clear some of this up.
Waiver of wire rules
Teams have until noon Wednesday ET to file a claim for each player released in the roster cuts from 80 to 53 players. The Giants are #5 in the order of waiver claims, consistent with their position in the 2022 NFL Draft. That is, if the Giants claim a player, they get that player, provided the Jaguars, Lions, Texans, and Jets don’t also claim that player.
Players with fewer than four cumulative NFL seasons are subject to exceptions. Those with more than four accumulated seasons are considered released and can sign with either team immediately. Players subject to waivers will not become free agents unless they are not claimed in the waiver process.
A season accumulated requires a player to have full-play status for at least six regular-season games in a given season. That’s why quarterback Davis Webb, who has been in the league since 2017, is still subject to the waiver process. While he was in the league, he wasn’t on the active squad enough to accumulate four cumulative seasons.
Practice squad rules
How many players? NFL Practice Squads currently consist of 16 players.
Who is Eligible? Here are the current conditions of participation:
- Players who have no NFL season experience.
- Free-agent players who have fewer than nine games on the active list in their only accumulated season.
- A maximum of 10 free agent players who have earned no more than two accumulated seasons.
- Maximum of six free agent players with no limit on the number of accrued seasons earned.
When can teams start building exercise groups? Once the waiver claim period ends, teams can begin signing players for their practice teams. This year that means on Wednesday after noon.
How Much Practice Squad Players Earn? Players with two or fewer accumulated seasons earn $11,500 for each week they are on a practice team. Players with more than two accumulated seasons earn a minimum of $15,400 per week with a maximum of $19,900.
injured reserve
In order to be allowed to return during the season, injured players must first be included in a team’s 53-man regular-season roster. Beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, teams may place these players on the injured reserve or reserve/non-football injury list. Players on those lists at or after this time must miss at least four regular season games.
The Giants have several players who could end up at IR in the early weeks of the season. They include guard Shane Lemieux, fullback Elerson Smith and cornerback Rodarius Williams.