NFL waiver wire rules and the Cowboys’ position in the waiver order

On Sunday, August 30th, NFL teams must reduce their roster to the initial 53-man roster. The Dallas Cowboys are facing significant decisions as they attempt to rebound from two consecutive seasons without making the playoffs. Their current standing is sixth in the NFC, according to sports books like FanDuel. After the roster cuts, teams will engage in a rush of transactions, either by acquiring players who have been cut or by trading for them before the cuts are made.

The waiver wire process, which begins after the cut deadline, is crucial for teams to fill gaps in their rosters. Players become available on waivers based on their service time in the NFL, which can be categorized into vested players (those with four or more seasons of NFL experience) and players who have not yet reached that designation.

Vested players are free to sign with any team until after the Super Bowl and the NFL trade deadline, while non-vested players go through the waiver process. The waiver order is determined by the NFL draft order before any trades are made, which for the 2026 season is the same as it was before any trades were finalized. Teams holding the top priority in this order will claim the players first, and those who make claims will not be placed at the back of the line like other teams.