NFL final cut dates released and an increase in roster size coming

The NFL has announced the dates for roster cuts in training camp and has voted to increase part of the league rosters. This is good for the Miami Dolphins.

First, let’s dive into the whole cut dates. We know that the league will ask teams to slowly start kicking their rosters to the curb while there are still preseason games on the schedule. The league has reduced the number of games played during the exhibition season from 4 to 3 so how will these cuts affect the roster and those games?

The cuts will take place in three different waves that will drop each team from 90 players to 53.

• Tuesday, August 16: 90 to 85 players.
• Tuesday, August 23: 85 to 80.
• Tuesday, August 30: 80 to 53

The first round of cuts will come three days after the Dolphins’ first pre-season game on August 13th against the Buccaneers. The 2nd round of cuts will be three days after their August 20th game against the Raiders and the final cuts will be another three days removed from their final game of the exhibition season.

For players, it is something to keep an eye on. They now know what the time frame is as potential fringe players but there is good news for some players that might be on the edge. The NFL is increasing the practice squad sizes and allowing teams to bring up a player three times during the year without having to sign them to the 53-man roster.

In a league memo posted by Ian Rapoport, the NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to increase the number of practice squad players from 12 to 16. The memo shows that 14 was supposed to be the increase but it has been changed to 16, on the memo. The statement also says that the squads will remain at this size for the duration of the agreement which means it shouldn’t change in the future, under the current CBA at least.

In other league news, the NFL owners awarded the NFL Combine to Indianapolis for two more years which wasn’t unexpected.