We’ve reached one of the worst parts of the NFL annual schedule. The preseason is over, but the regular season hasn’t begun. What sits in between those dates is cutdown day.
By 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Detroit Lions and the other 31 teams must trim their roster down nearly in half—going from 90 to 53. For players who have spent the last few months fighting and scraping their way to display their skills, it’s a nerve-racking day spent hoping the phone never rings.
While the Lions have until Tuesday to get down to 53 players, coach Dan Campbell said after Friday’s preseason finale that he expects to make the cuts gradually throughout the next few days.