In a matter of days, NFL teams must trim rosters down to the 53-man active limit carried through the regular season. As teams strategize how many spots to devote to each position group, they will analyze the rosters of other teams and determine if it makes sense for them to make additions via trade or waiver claims. Last year, there were 21 trades made in August.
There were an additional 31 players claimed during the first week of the 2025 waiver system. Players waived as part of final roster cuts are exposed to the waiver wire, which is in order, from worst to best, of last season's win-loss records. If a team believes a player of interest would be claimed prior to its position in the waiver line, then it behooves that team to explore acquiring that player via trade.
Just Tuesday, the Giants sent reserve offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu to the Chiefs in exchange for draft compensation. Earlier this week, I explored the position groups that could be targeted by opposing teams. It is a good starting point in identifying which players may be of interest to your favorite team.
The exercise is not necessarily each team's biggest need but rather one bottom-of-the-roster hole each team could still patch ahead of the regular season. Rookie linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter were thrown in to the fire last season. They really struggled at times, but the hope is that benefits the team long term.
Depth behind those two players is a bit muddy. Oren Burks played some snaps for them last season, but that is about the extent of it. Cornerback had also been a consideration but some of the young players have come along this summer.
The Browns have been exploring the idea of adding another edge rusher even before Alex Wright succumbed to a season-ending injury. They have experimented with defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. playing on the end, but it sounds as though that was born out of necessity rather than strategy. Bringing in another pass rusher would allow Hall to remain on the inside.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
