It's one of the most exciting times of the NFL year for fans, but one of the hardest for the players. Week 1 of the 2023 campaign is just around the corner, but before the season kicks off, teams must bring their training camp rosters of 90 players down to the regular season limit of 53. And while some of these players who don't make the cut will end up on practice squads, this is a rough time of year for many NFL hopefuls chasing their dreams of playing in the league. But when do these cuts have to happen? And what else do you need to know about that process? Here's everything you need to know about 2023 NFL roster cuts.

When is 2023 NFL roster cut day?

NFL rosters must be reduced to 53 players by 4 PM EST on Tuesday, August 29th. The process has already begun, with several surprise cuts being made this past weekend. Some teams will announce their cuts in waves, others will do it all at once, and some will have some leaks but not finalize anything until the deadline. However, as mentioned previously, getting cut is not the end of the line for all players. Each player left off a final roster will still be eligible to sign with a team's practice squad if they clear waivers. Practice squads are 16-man groups that act as the scout team for the 53-man roster, and they can be promoted to the main squad should players get injured and need replacements.

A player's eligibility to be signed to a practice squad depends on their status in the league. If a player cut from a roster is considered a veteran, they will immediately become a free agent, available for anyone else to sign. However, if they are not a veteran, they must first clear waivers, giving every other team the option to snatch them up if they liked what they saw from the player in training camp and preseason action before becoming free agents able to sign anywhere.

While it is a hard day for many players around the league, tomorrow will be exciting for fans to finally see what their team will look like for Week 1. Football season is just around the corner, and roster cuts are the final event before the attention fully turns to the regular season.