The NFL 53 Man Roster Deadline: When Is It?

The NFL 53 man roster deadline is September 5th at 4:00 p.m. EST. This is the date and time when all NFL teams must have their 53 man rosters set for the regular season.

Introduction

The NFL 53 man roster deadline is the last day that NFL teams can make roster cuts and trim their squads down to the regular season limit of 53 players. The date of the deadline varies from year to year, but it is typically around the week before the start of the regular season.

For example, in 2017, the deadline was on September 2nd, which was a Saturday. In 2018, the deadline was on September 1st, which was a Friday. In 2019, the deadline will be on August 31st, which is a Thursday.

The NFL preseason is four weeks long, and each team plays a total of six games (four exhibition and two “dress rehearsal”). During this time, teams are allowed to have up to 90 players on their roster. That number must be trimmed down to 53 by the deadline in order to comply with league rules.

Teams typically make their initial round of roster cuts after the first few preseason games. The round of cuts after the fourth and final preseason game is typically when most starters are cut from the roster. These players are known as “bubble players” because they are on the borderline of making or not making the team.

The position battle that usually takes place during training camp and preseason is between quarterbacks. Most NFL teams like to carry three quarterbacks on their53 man roster: a starter, a backup, and a third-stringer who is usually young and/or inexperienced. However, there are some teams who only carry two quarterbacks because they feel comfortable with their starter and backup and don’t want to risk losing another position player by carrying a third quarterback.

What is the 53 Man Roster Deadline?

The NFL’s 53-man roster deadline is the date and time by which all NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players. The deadline for the 2018 season is 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 1.

Each year, the NFL’s 32 teams have until 4:00 p.m. ET on the Saturday prior to the regular season to cut their rosters down to 53 players. This year, that date falls on September 1, 2018.

A few things to keep in mind about the 53-man roster:
-Each team can have up to 90 players on its roster during the offseason and preseason.
-Teams can begin signing players to their practice squad beginning Sunday of Week 1 of the regular season. Practice squad players do not count against a team’s 53-man roster limit.
-Players who are on a team’s active/inactive list for Week 1 do not have to be included in the initial 53-man roster cuts.

When is the 53 Man Roster Deadline?

The deadline for NFL teams to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 players is 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 5th. After that point, NFL teams are not allowed to make any roster moves until after the season has ended.

The roster deadline is one of the most important dates on the NFL calendar, as it marks the point at which teams have to make some tough decisions about which players will stay and which will go. For some players, this will be the last chance to make an NFL roster. For others, it will be an opportunity to earn a spot on a practice squad or even a featured role on their team’s 53-man roster. Either way, the53 Man Roster Deadline is always a date that attracts a lot of attention from fans and media alike.

What Happens if a Team Misses the 53 Man Roster Deadline?

If a team misses the 53-man roster deadline, they will be subject to a number of penalties. The first penalty is a loss of draft picks. The team will lose their first-round pick in the following year’s NFL Draft, as well as their second- and third-round picks in the subsequent year’s draft. In addition, the team’s salary cap will be reduced by $5 million for the following season. Finally, the team will be unable to sign any free agents for the remainder of that season.

Conclusion

So, when is the NFL 53 man roster deadline? The deadline is typically on the Saturday before the NFL season starts. For example, if the season starts on a Thursday, the deadline would be that previous Saturday. However, teams are allowed to make moves until 4 p.m. ET on the day of the deadline. If a player is cut after that time, he will automatically become a free agent.