The 2025 deadline for the 53-man roster cutdown is quickly approaching.
With the preseason wrapping up this weekend, all NFL teams must soon trim their roster to 53 players in advance of the 2025 regular season.
Here is what you need to know about the NFL's 53-man roster deadline.
When is the roster deadline?
All teams must reduce their roster to an initial 53 players by Tuesday, August 26, at 1 p.m. (PT).
How many players can a team keep?
Teams are required to have 53 players on their active roster. Each team has also has a practice squad that consists of more than a dozen players.
Teams can have a maximum of 16 players on their practice squad but there is one exception. If a team has a player from the International Pathway Program on their roster — which the Chargers have in tight end Thomas Yassmin — they have an exempt spot and can keep 17 players.
When will the practice squad be announced?
Practice squads must be into the league by Wednesday, August 27, at 1 p.m. (PT), the day after initial 53-man rosters are announced.
What if a player goes on Injured Reserve?
Unfortunately, injuries are part of life in the NFL. But a 2024 rule change tweaked how rosters look.
Teams can place up to two players on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, August 26. Those players can return to the team after sitting out a minimum of four games.
Teams previously had to keep players on their roster through cuts.
Can the Chargers add a player released by another team?
Yes. A big part of roster cutdown day is teams watching moves that other teams make.
Players with fewer than four years of service in the league are subject to waivers, meaning teams have the chance to claim their existing contracts. The Chargers currently have the 22nd spot in waiver orders based on their 2024 record.
The Chargers can claim any player who was waived by another team prior. At 9 a.m. (PT) on Wednesday, August 27, waiver claims will be awarded to their new teams provided the player did not get claimed by a team above them in the waiver order.
