The New York Giants will have one of the NFL's best positions in the waiver wire pecking order when the league's final roster cuts are processed this week.
All 32 NFL teams must reduce their rosters to a maximum of 53 players by 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30. Players who are subject to waivers as part of those final roster reductions will then be available for other teams to claim, with the claiming period expiring at 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday, August 31.
The Giants enter the process with the No. 5 waiver priority, allowing general manager Joe Schoen and the team's personnel department to add young talent released by other teams before most of the league gets a chance to do so.
The initial waiver order is based on the 2026 NFL draft order and
will remain in effect through the first three weeks of the regular season. Beginning September 29, after the third regular-season weekend, waiver priority will be determined by the current standings, with strength of schedule and additional tiebreakers used when necessary.
Initial waiver wire order entering 2026 season
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- Tennessee Titans
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
- Washington Commanders
- New Orleans Saints
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Atlanta Falcons
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Indianapolis Colts
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Carolina Panthers
- Green Bay Packers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Chicago Bears
- Buffalo Bills
- San Francisco 49ers
- Houston Texans
- Los Angeles Rams
- Denver Broncos
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
How the waiver wire works
Not every player released during Sunday's roster cuts will be subject to waivers.
Players with fewer than four accrued NFL seasons are generally subject to the waiver system. When one of those players is waived, every team has the opportunity to submit a claim. If multiple teams claim the same player, the team with the highest waiver priority is awarded the player.
For the Giants, that means they would win a claim over any team ranked Nos. 6 through 32. However, if the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, or Tennessee Titans also claim the same player, New York would lose out because those four teams have higher priority.
Players with at least four accrued seasons are vested veterans and are not subject to the same initial waiver process when released. They become free agents and are free to negotiate with any team.
That distinction could become particularly important Sunday evening, as teams decide whether to release veterans outright or waive younger players who could potentially be claimed by another club.
Giants have a valuable position at No. 5
The Giants' No. 5 position puts them ahead of 27 other teams when the waiver process begins.
It also means New York can potentially address multiple areas of its roster through the waiver wire. The Giants do not have to choose between making one claim and sacrificing their position for the remainder of the process.
Instead, the initial waiver order is a fixed priority order. If New York is awarded a claim, it remains fifth in the order for subsequent claims during this waiver period.
Of course, the Giants would need to have room on their 53-man roster to accommodate any player they successfully claim. Adding a player could therefore require another corresponding roster move.
When will the Giants know which players they can add?
The NFL's deadline for final roster reductions is 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday. Teams then have until 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday, August 31, to submit claims for players placed on waivers during the final roster reduction.
After the claiming period expires, the league will distribute the subsequent Personnel Notice announcing the results. Only after that notification can teams begin establishing their practice squads.
The NFL's 2026 rules allow teams to carry up to 17 players on their practice squad if one player qualifies as an International Player.
That creates a frantic stretch for NFL personnel departments.
The Giants will have to finalize their own 53-man roster Sunday evening while simultaneously evaluating players becoming available throughout the rest of the league. By Monday afternoon, Schoen and the Giants will know whether they were able to add any of those players via waivers.
With the No. 5 waiver priority, New York is in a strong position to potentially capitalize on unexpected roster cuts around the league.
The work on the Giants' 53-man roster may be finished Sunday evening.
The work of building the roster, however, certainly won't be.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Where do Giants stand in waiver wire order, and why does it matter?
