Eagles waiver-wire priority: Rules, order, and what to know

The Philadelphia Eagles’ initial 53-man roster will not necessarily be the one they carry into Week 1, and the roster will be extremely fluid over the next few days as players come on and off the PUP list along with other key measures to put the best available talent on the field for Week 1. NFL tea

Football Zone

SEE ALL

Broncos Wire

Broncos make their first surprise cut, waive 5th-round draft pick

SB Nation

Aaron Donald announces return to Rams for 2026

Steelers Wire

Steelers trade makes even more sense after NFL update on Josh Jacobs

What is the story about?

The Philadelphia Eagles’ initial 53-man roster will not necessarily be the one they carry into Week 1, and the roster will be extremely fluid over the next few days as players come on and off the PUP list along with other key measures to put the best available talent on the field for Week 1.

NFL teams must reduce their active rosters to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 30. That deadline will send hundreds of players into free agency or onto the waiver wire, creating another opportunity for teams to adjust their depth charts. Players with fewer than four credited NFL seasons are generally subject to waivers. If multiple teams submit a claim for the same player, the team holding the highest waiver priority is awarded the player and assumes

his existing contract.

Philadelphia holds the No. 23 position in the initial order, meaning 22 teams will have priority over the Eagles on every contested claim. The Eagles are positioned immediately behind the Los Angeles Chargers and ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The claiming period following final roster cuts expires at 1 p.m. ET Monday, Aug. 31. Philadelphia can submit claims before the deadline, but the front office will not know which players it has been awarded until the league distributes its personnel notice.

Any player claimed must be added to the active roster. That means a successful claim could require the Eagles to release another player or make a corresponding injury-related transaction. Players with at least four credited seasons are considered vested veterans. During this portion of the NFL calendar, players released become unrestricted free agents and may negotiate directly with any team.

The opening waiver order is based on the final 2025 standings and the 2026 NFL draft order. It remains in place through the first three weekends of the regular season, then changes to reflect the current standings.

For Philadelphia, the No. 23 priority limits control over the most desirable young players. It does not prevent general manager Howie Roseman from searching for upgrades, however, and the roster could change quickly once Monday’s claims are processed.