NFL waiver wire explained: Bills players subject to the process

The Buffalo Bills have over 40 players who could be subject to waivers as they look to cut down from 90 players to 53 by the August 26 deadline and beyond.

Of course, several players on their rookie contracts should be safe from getting waived, such as wide receiver Keon Coleman. But, if any of these players are waived this week, they will be subject to the waiver wire pool and can be claimed by another team.

If not, they can be a part of Buffalo’s 16-man practice squad, which will likely be finalized the day after the cutdown date.

Which Buffalo Bills are subject to waivers?

CB Zy Alexander
C Jacob Bayer
WR Stephen Gosnell
CB Maxwell Hairston
DB Jordan Hancock
TE Jackson Hawes
EDGE Landon Jackson
LB Keonta Jenkins
TE Keleki Latu
OT Chase Lundt
DB Wande Owens
G Rush Reimer
DT T.J. Sanders
DE Paris Shand
CB Dorian Strong
DT Deone Walker
RB Elijah Young
DE Nelson Ceaser
OL Mike Edwards
RB Frank Gore Jr.
OT Richard Gouraige
CB Daequan Hardy
DT Marcus Harris
DT Zion Logue
DT Casey Rogers
WR Tyrell Shavers
TE Matt Sokol
LB Joe Andreessen
S Cole Bishop
DT DeWayne Carter
LB Jimmy Ciarlo
OT Travis Clayton
CB/RET Brandon Codrington
WR Keon Coleman
TE Zach Davidson
RB Ray Davis
WR Grant DuBose
T Tylan Grable
CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
P Brad Robbins
DE Javon Solomon
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
C/G Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
T Alec Anderson
WR Deon Cain
TE Dalton Kincaid
G O’Cyrus Torrence
T Ryan Van Demark
WR Kristian Wilkerson
LB Dorian Williams

What is waivers in the NFL?

As the final preparations begin for the season, teams will make massive changes to their roster, either waiving or releasing players. But not all players instantly become free agents and free to sign with any team.

Well, when a player is ‘waived’, they are subject to the waiver wire, where any team can claim them and assume their current contract. Currently, the waiver wire order (listed below) is dependent on the NFL Draft order from this past April, but without any trades.

Teams will file waiver claims at the same time, but only the team with the highest claim will successfully ‘claim’ the player and their current contract.

Which NFL players are subject to go on waivers and not be released?

Whether or not a player enters the waiver wire of becomes a free agent depends on a player’s NFL service time. Players with at least four years of accrued NFL service time are outright released. If a player is released, their contract has ended, and they’re eligible to sign with any team.

However, if a player has less than four years of service time, they are waived and subject to waiver wire claims. Any player who is not claimed after being waived is eligible to sign wherever they’d like, including their former team’s practice squad.

Mainly, the group of players getting waived is those who are currently not eligible for...