When an NFL player ends up getting cut, a lot of fans and even members of the media tend to use the words “waived” and “released” as if they’re interchangeable. The truth is, though, there’s actually a clear and important difference between the two designations.
Since so much confusion continues to surround what it really means for a player to be waived versus released, it’s worth breaking down exactly how the two terms differ, how the waiver wire operates, and everything else that comes with it.
What Does It Mean When an NFL Player Is Released?
Once a player has accrued at least four seasons in the NFL, they qualify as a vested veteran. When these vested veterans are cut, the proper term is that they are released, and their contract is immediately terminated.
Upon being released, a vested veteran instantly becomes an unrestricted free agent who is free to sign with any NFL team of their choosing, and the team that released them is not required to provide any further compensation or obligation.
What Does It Mean When an NFL Player Is Waived?
If a player has accrued fewer than four seasons in the NFL, they are placed on waivers rather than being released. The key difference here is that these players do not have the freedom to choose their next destination immediately. Instead, they must first pass through the waiver wire process, which is exactly why the term waived is used.
READ MORE: 2025 NFL Roster Cuts Tracker: Tracking Every Team’s Moves Ahead of Cutdown Day
Through the waiver system, the other 31 NFL teams are given the opportunity to submit a claim on the waived player before they can freely sign anywhere else. Per NFL operations:
“The waiver period runs from the first business day after the Super Bowl through the end of the NFL’s regular season. Except in rare incidents, the waiver period lasts 24 hours, and all waivers are categorized as “no recall” and “no withdrawal,” which means once a club waives a player, it cannot take the player back or change the player’s status.”
Buccaneers informed rookie safety Shilo Sanders today that he is being waived, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, who added, “we’re hoping he gets claimed on waivers.” pic.twitter.com/b81byFvdJR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2025
The waiver system operates on a priority order, giving teams a structured opportunity to claim a player or simply “waive” their chance to do so. The waiver wire order is the same as the NFL Draft order. If all 31 teams decide not to claim the player, then the individual cleared waivers and becomes an unrestricted free agent, meaning they can sign with any team.
It’s important to note that there is no restriction on the number of players a team can place a claim on, and the waiver wire does not reset after a claim is awarded (unlike what happens in fantasy football leagues).
This means that if the No. 1 team in the order decides to submit claims for multiple players, it will successfully acquire all of them, provided it has enough available roster spots.
How NFL Teams Take Advantage of These Rules
When teams are hesitant to waive a promising young player out of concern that another franchise might scoop up the prospect, they often choose to release a veteran instead, since veterans immediately become free agents and are free to sign with any team once they hit the open market.
NFL rules also require injured players to be included on the initial 53-man roster to start the season. If the injury is significant enough for a player to be placed on injured reserve (IR), teams are then given the option to fill that roster spot with someone else, as players on IR do not count against the 53-man limit.
To avoid losing young talent through the waiver process, teams commonly release veterans during final cuts, knowing those veterans can remain unsigned for a day or two. Once the injured players are officially moved to IR and no longer count toward the active roster, the veterans can then be re-signed to the team.